Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Further to the discovery of up-converted electroluminescence in an organic heterojunction, we plan on implementing a similar process to efficiently harvest infrared photons in an organic photovoltaic cell. On a three years time scale, the process will open a new door to ultrahigh efficiency solar energy conversion in organic devices. The present RTI grant application will permit to set-up a controlled atmosphere-processing platform to prepare organic devices under oxygen and water free environment. On a longer time scale, the system will permit to consolidate our leadership into the discovery of new generations of organic electronic devices in collaboration with co-workers at Queen's and at RMC. Benefit for Canada is the perspective to build a new generation of high-efficiency organic solar cells that will rely on previous know-how developed by Canada-PV companies and laboratories, in synergy with the research program of the NSERC Photovoltaic Innovation Network. Benefit for Queen's is to develop an advanced processing platform for organic electronic devices studied and developed with the Department of Chemistry. Benefit for HQP education is training into advanced thin-film deposition techniques for job opportunities in photovoltaic electricity, microelectronics and plastic electronic industries.