ABSTRACT
The manufacturing of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices starts from the selection of the substrate. The substrates can be flexible or rigid, be transparent or opaque, provide electrical properties, or be nonconducting. The choice of the substrate depends on the solar cell architecture, type of the electrode, solar cell manufacturing process, and, in general, the final requirements for the device. Furthermore, the required OPV manufacturing processes have a strong link to the needed substrate properties. Most plastic substrates cannot support very high temperature, limiting the maximum processing temperature for OPV layers. The ideal substrates for OPV applications present a unique balance of properties, which can provide simple low-cost manufacturing and long lifetime of the devices. A balance in the properties of substrates can guarantee the first step toward successful manufacturing of OPV devices. In addition to substrates, successful long-term functioning requires protection from environmental factors such as water and oxygen,
which can be provided by barrier layers. Together, substrates and barriers create “envelope” layers protecting OPV devices. The right choice of substrate and barrier will aid in the manufacturing and is key for successful commercialization of OPV modules. This chapter will make an overview of the main barriers and substrates suitable for OPV manufacturing, and will provide their main characteristics.
