Novel p-phenylenevinylene compounds containing thiophene or anthracene moieties and cyano-vinylene bonds for photovoltaic applications.

Two novel soluble compounds T and A that contain a central dihexyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene unit, intermediate moieties of thiophene or anthracene, respectively, and terminal cyano-vinylene nitrophenyls were synthesized and characterized. They showed moderate thermal stability and relatively low glass transition temperatures. These compounds displayed similar optical properties. Their absorption was broad and extended up to about 750 nm with the longer-wavelength maximum around 640 nm and an optical band gap of approximately 1.70 eV. From the current-voltage characteristics of the devices using both compounds T and A, it was concluded that both compounds behave as p-type organic semiconductors with hole mobility on the order of 10(-5) cm(2)/(V s). The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the devices based on these compounds was 0.019% and 0.013% for compounds A and T, respectively. When compounds A and T were blended with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), the PCE dramatically increased up to 1.66% and 1.36% for devices with A:PCBM and T:PCBM, respectively. The efficiencies of the devices were further enhanced upon thermal annealing up to 2.49% and 2.33% for devices based on A:PCBM and T:PCBM, respectively.