By Cameron Chai Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's
(DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have performed a study on
an organic photovoltaic material with superior performance and
showed that the PV material performed better due to the presence
of an uncommon bilayer lamellar structure. The study was
performed in association with the Max Planck Institute for
Polymer Research, Germany, Seoul National University, Korea,
Konarka Technologies and Stony Brook University. This material
also called PCDTBT, being an example of a polycarbazole
conjugated polymer, which is a molecule comprising alkyl side
chains linked to a chainlike carbon backbone. Its capability in
donating and accepting electrons makes it a superior performer
and helps it convert at a high efficiency up to 7.2%. The study
was conducted at the Brookhaven's National Synchrotron Light
Source. Using a high-resolution x-ray scattering method, thin
films of PCDTBT were exposed to strong x-ray beams. At high
temperatures, a crystalline-like pha