Influence of metallic and dielectric nanowire arrays on the photoluminescence properties of P3HT thin films

Abstract

The optical properties of organic semiconductor thin films deposited on nanostructured surfaces are investigated using time-resolved two-photon photoluminescence (PL) microscopy. The surfaces consist of parallel aligned metallic or dielectric nanowires forming well-defined arrays on glass substrates. Keeping the nanowire dimensions constant and varying only their spacing from 40 to 400 nm, we study the range of different types of nanowire–semiconductor interactions. For silver nanowires and spacings below 100 nm, the PL intensity and lifetime of P3HT and MDMO-PPV decrease rapidly due to the short-ranged metal-induced quenching that dominates the PL response with respect to a possible plasmonic enhancement of optical transition rates. In the case of P3HT however, we observe an additional longer-ranged reduction of non-radiative losses for both metallic and dielectric nanowires that is not observed for MDMO-PPV. Excitation polarization dependent measurements indicate that this reduction is due to self-assembly of the P3HT polymer chains along the nanowires. In conclusion, nanostructured surfaces, when fabricated across large areas, could be used to control film morphologies and to improve energy transport and collection efficiencies in P3HT-based solar cells.