Synergistic interface and compositional engineering of inverted perovskite solar cells enables highly efficient and stable photovoltaic devices

Interfacial Engineering of Nickel Oxide-Perovskite Interface with Amino Acid Complexed NiO to Improve Perovskite Solar Cell Performance

The interface between NiO and perovskite in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is a major factor that can limit device performance due to defects and inappropriate redox reactions, which cause nonradiative recombination and decrease in open-circuit voltage (VOC). In the present study, a novel approach is used for the first time, where an amino acid (glycine (Gly), alanine (Ala), and aminobutyric acid (ABA))-complexed NiO are used as interface modifiers to eliminate defect sites and hydroxyl groups from the surface of NiO. The Ala-complexed NiO suppresses interfacial non-radiative recombination, improves the perovskite layer quality and better energy band alignment with the perovskite, resulting in improved charge transfer and reduced recombination. The incorporation of the Ala-complexed NiO leads to a PCE of 20.27% with enhanced stability under the conditions of ambient air, light soaking, and heating to 85 °C, as it retains over 82%, 85%, and 61% of its initial PCE after 1000, 500, and 350 h, respectively. The low-temperature technique also leads to the fabrication of a NiO thin film that is suitable for flexible PSCs. The Ala-complexed NiO is fabricated on the flexible substrate and achieved 17.12% efficiency while retaining 71% of initial PCE after 5,000 bending.

Metal oxide charge transporting layers for stable high-performance perovskite solar cells

This review summarizes the recent progress in metal oxide charge transporting layers to achieve stable high-performance perovskite solar cells.

Morphology and surface analyses for CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite thin films treated with versatile solvent-antisolvent vapors

Organometal halide perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) semiconductors have been promising candidates as a photoactive layer for photovoltaics. Especially for high performance devices, the crystal structure and morphology of this perovskite layer should be optimized. In this experiment, by employing solvent-antisolvent vapor techniques during a modified sequential deposition of PbI2-CH3NH3I layers, the morphology engineering was carried out as a function of antisolvent species such as: chloroform, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, toluene, and diethyl ether. Then, the optical, morphological, structural, and surface properties were characterized. When dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, solvent) and diethyl ether (antisolvent) vapors were employed, the CH3NH3PbI3 layer exhibited relatively desirable crystal structures and morphologies, resulting in an optical bandgap (E g) of 1.61 eV, crystallite size (t) of 89.5 nm, and high photoluminescence (PL) intensity. Finally, the stability of perovskite films toward water was found to be dependent on the morphologies with defects such as grain boundaries, which was evaluated through contact angle measurement.

Realization of Moisture-Resistive Perovskite Films for Highly Efficient Solar Cells Using Molecule Incorporation

The development of highly crystalline perovskite films with large crystal grains and few surface defects is attractive to obtain high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with good device stability. Herein, we simultaneously improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and humid stability of the CH₃NH₃PbI₃ (CH₃NH₃ = MA) device by incorporating small organic molecule IT-4F into the perovskite film and using a buffer layer of PFN-Br. The presence of IT-4F in the perovskite film can successfully improve crystallinity and enhance the grain size, leading to reduced trap states and longer lifetime of the charge carrier, and make the perovskite film hydrophobic. Meanwhile, as a buffer layer, PFN-Br can accelerate the separation of excitons and promote the transfer process of electrons from the active layer to the cathode. As a consequence, the PSCs exhibit a remarkably improved PCE of 20.55% with reduced device hysteresis. Moreover, the moisture-resistive film-based devices retain about 80% of their initial efficiency after 30 days of storage in relative humidity of 10-30% without encapsulation.

Progress, highlights and perspectives on NiO in perovskite photovoltaics

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of NiO based perovskite solar cells has recently hit a record 22.1% with a hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite composition and a PCE above 15% in a fully inorganic configuration was achieved. Moreover, NiO processing is a mature technology, with different industrially attractive processes demonstrated in the last few years. These considerations, along with the excellent stabilities reported, clearly point towards NiO as the most efficient inorganic hole selective layer for lead halide perovskite photovoltaics, which is the topic of this review. NiO optoelectronics is discussed by analysing the different doping mechanisms, with a focus on the case of alkaline and transition metal cation dopants. Doping allows tuning the conductivity and the energy levels of NiO, improving the overall performance and adapting the material to a variety of perovskite compositions. Furthermore, we summarise the main investigations on the NiO/perovskite interface stability. In fact, the surface of NiO is commonly oxidised and reactive with perovskite, also under the effect of light, thermal and electrical stress. Interface engineering strategies should be considered aiming at long term stability and the highest efficiency. Finally, we present the main achievements in flexible, fully printed and lead-free perovskite photovoltaics which employ NiO as a layer and provide our perspective to accelerate the improvement of these technologies. Overall, we show that adequately doped and passivated NiO might be an ideal hole selective layer in every possible application of perovskite solar cells.

Tungsten-Doped Zinc Oxide and Indium-Zinc Oxide Films as High-Performance Electron-Transport Layers in N-I-P Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted tremendous research attention due to their potential as a next-generation photovoltaic cell. Transition metal oxides in N–I–P structures have been widely used as electron-transporting materials but the need for a high-temperature sintering step is incompatible with flexible substrate materials and perovskite materials which cannot withstand elevated temperatures. In this work, novel metal oxides prepared by sputtering deposition were investigated as electron-transport layers in planar PSCs with the N–I–P structure. The incorporation of tungsten in the oxide layer led to a power conversion efficiency (PCE) increase from 8.23% to 16.05% due to the enhanced electron transfer and reduced back-recombination. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images reveal that relatively large grain sizes in the perovskite phase with small grain boundaries were formed when the perovskite was deposited on tungsten-doped films. This study demonstrates that novel metal oxides can be used as in perovskite devices as electron transfer layers to improve the efficiency.

Efficiency Improvement of MAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells Based on a CsPbBr3 Quantum Dot/Au Nanoparticle Composite Plasmonic Light-Harvesting Layer

We demonstrate a method to enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of MAPbI3 perovskite solar cells through localized surface plasmon (LSP) coupling with gold nanoparticles:CsPbBr3 hybrid perovskite quantum dots (AuNPs:QD-CsPbBr3). The plasmonic AuNPs:QD-CsPbBr3 possess the features of high light-harvesting capacity and fast charge transfer through the LSP resonance effect, thus improving the short-circuit current density and the fill factor. Compared to the original device without Au NPs, a 27.8% enhancement in PCE of plasmonic AuNPs:QD-CsPbBr3/MAPbI3 perovskite solar cells was achieved upon 120 μL Au NP solution doping. This improvement can be attributed to the formation of surface plasmon resonance and light scattering effects in Au NPs embedded in QD-CsPbBr3, resulting in improved light absorption due to plasmonic nanoparticles.

High Efficiency and Stability of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells Using Phenethyl Ammonium Iodide-Modified Interface of NiOx and Perovskite Layers

Hole transport layer NiO_x-based inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have advantages of simple fabrication, low temperature, and low cost. Furthermore, the p-type NiO_x material compared to that of typical n-type SnO_x for PSCs has better photostability potential due to its lower photocatalytic ability. However, the NiO_x layer modified by some typical materials show relatively simple functions, which limit the synthesized performance of NiO_x-based inverted PSCs. Phenethyl ammonium iodide (PEAI) was introduced to modify the NiO_x/perovskite interface, which can synchronously contribute to better crystallinity and stability of the perovskite layer, passivating interface defects, formed quasi-two-dimensional PEA₂PbI₄ perovskite layers, and superior interface contact properties. The PCEs of PSCs with the PEAI-modified NiO_x/perovskite interface was obviously increased from 20.31 from 16.54% compared to that of the reference PSCs. The PSCs with PEAI modification remained 75 and 72% of the original PCE values aging for 10 h at 85 °C and 65 days in a relative humidity of 15%, which are superior to the original PCE values (47 and 51%, respectively) for the reference PSCs. Therefore, PSCs with the PEAI-modified NiO_x/perovskite interface show higher PCEs and better thermal stability and moisture resistance.