A review on smart strategies for active layer phase separation regulation of organic solar cells

Exciton dissociation and charge transport are important processes in the photoelectric conversion of organic solar cells (OSCs), directly affecting the performance of OSCs. In order to facilitate exciton dissociation, phase separation size should be as small as possible. However, for the sake of continuous charge transport, a large phase separation size is also necessary. To balance these two conflicting needs, it is of utmost importance to regulate the phase separation of the active layer. This Review mainly elaborated the smart tactics commonly adopted to phase separation optimization, aiming to understand how these treatments affect both the active layer phase separation and the performance of OSCs. Furthermore, we present an outlook on the new opportunities of phase separation regulation of the active layer. Finally, this Review may provide some reference for the researchers engaged in the research of OSCs.