Low band gap conjugated small molecules containing benzobisthiadiazole and thienothiadiazole central units: synthesis and application for bulk heterojunction solar cells

Two novel conjugated low band gap small molecules (SMs), M1 and M2, containing benzobisthiadiazole and thienothiadiazole central units, respectively, were synthesized. Both SMs carried terminal cyanovinylene 4-nitrophenyl at both sides which were connected to the central unit with a thiophene ring. The long-wavelength absorption band was located at 591–643 nm and the optical band gap was 1.62–1.63 eV, which is lower than that of P3HT. These two SMs were investigated as electron donor materials along with PCBM or F as electron acceptors for fabrication of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaic devices. F is a modified PCBM which has been previously synthesized and used as an electron acceptor for poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The power conversion efficiency (PCE) for M1:PCBM, M1:F, M2:PCBM and M2:F was 1.05%, 2.02%, 1.23% and 2.72%, respectively. The higher PCE for the devices with M2 as the electron donor has been related to the improved hole mobility for M2. However, the improved PCE for the devices with F as the electron acceptor has been attributed to the more intense absorption of F in the visible region than that of PCBM and also to the higher open circuit voltage resulting from the higher LUMO level of F. We have also fabricated devices with M2:F cast film from mixed solvents. The PCE for the BHJ devices with the as cast and thermally annealed M2:F (mixed solvents) is 3.34% and 3.65%, respectively.