Organic Solar Cell Strategy and Developments in Flanders

IMEC started up its activity on organic solar cells in 1998 and since 2005 this topic became one of the key technologies of the Flemish Innovation Policy in the field of Photovoltaics. The aim of the paper is to present the overall Flemish approach and strategy to this field as well as to highlight the recent achievements of the Organic Photovoltaics Technology Program. The strategy of this program is built around three focal points: enhancement of the conversion efficiency, improvement of the cell stability and development of a printing technology to realize monolithic modules on a flexible foil. This strategy is being executed mainly within IMEC with its large expertise in the field of solar cell technology development and its associated lab, IMOMEC, and the University of Hasselt which has a strong background in synthesis and characterization of conjugated polymers. In addition, there is considerable analytical and modeling support by the University of Antwerp and the University Ghent.