Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 36, 281-283 (2006)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap:2006140

Highly sensitive spectroscopic characterization of inorganic and organic heterojunctions for solar cells^*

¹ Institute for Materials Research, Hasselt University, and IMEC, Division IMOMEC, Wetenschapspark 1, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
² Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères, Université libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, CP206/01, boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium

Corresponding author: koen.vandewal@uhasselt.be

Received: 25 July 2006
Accepted: 28 September 2006
Published online: 6 December 2006

Abstract

Sub-bandgap absorption features ( cm⁻¹) have been detected in organic and inorganic semiconductors and their heterojunctions. Photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) is used to increase the detection limit considerably with respect to common absorption spectroscopy. Results are presented on discotic liquid crystals, donor-acceptor complex formation in P3HT:PCBM solar cells and UV-induced defect generation in nanoporous .