Polymer solar cells and infrared light emitting diodes:: Dual function low bandgap polymer

Conjugated Polymers with a HOMO-LUMO transition <2 eV, i.e. a low bandgap, respectively, have interesting and desired properties for some thin film optoelectronic devices like light emitting diodes and solar cells. In this contribution we present the implementation of the novel copolymer PTPTB, consisting of alternating electron-rich N -dodecyl-2,5-bis(2'thienyl)pyrrole (TPT and electron-deficient 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (B) units, in light emitting diodes (LEDs ) and photovoltaic devices. The LEDs show emission in the near infrared region, peaking at 800 nm. The electroluminescence yield can be significantly enhanced by blending with the wide bandgap polymer poly (para-phenylene-vinylene) derivative MDMO-PPV. Bulk heterojunction devices of PTPTB blended with the C-60 derivative PCBM shows AM 1.5 efficiencies around 1%. The low bandgap of PTPTB allows collecting photons up to 750 nm.