Sharif Digital Repository

Perovskite solar cells fabrication process need inert or low humidity atmospheres. While highly efficient perovskite solar cells to overcome the photovoltaic marketing should be achieved stability at any environmental conditions. At high humidity, water molecules react with the perovskite layer and increase the degradation rate, leading to a drastic decrease in device performance and perovskite crystallinity. In this work, the effect of environmental humidity on photophysical parameters of wide bandgap, (WBG) perovskite layer and solar cells stability is systematically investigated and tBP is proposed as an additive in perovskite precursor to increase the moisture resistance and improve the... 

We have investigated the influence of perovskite morphology on slow and fast charge transport in the perovskite solar cells. Solar cells with different perovskite cuboid sizes (50-300 nm) have been fabricated using various methylammonium iodide concentrations. Both the low-frequency capacitance and hysteresis are maximum for the cell with the largest perovskite grains (300 nm). The low-frequency capacitance is about three orders of magnitude greater than the intermediate frequency capacitance, indicating the great role of ions on the slow responses and hysteresis. The measurement of open-circuit voltage decay indicates that for the large grains of 300 nm up to 70% of Voc remains across the... 

We report on fabrication of halide perovskite solar cells using a two-step spin-spray coating rout. The applied method is one of the most straight forward procedures for fabricating uniform stoichiometry and crystalline perovskite cells. To fabricate a high quality perovskite layer, various concentrations of methyl-ammonium iodide (CH3NH3I) were sprayed on a spin coated PbI2 layer using a simple airbrush gun. The characterization results indicate that the size of cuboid perovskite morphology depends on the concentration of methylammonium iodide in the spray procedure. The photovoltaic performance of the fabricated solar cells has been measured and a high dependency on the cuboid sizes was... 

Copper phthalocyanine can effectively act as alternative small molecule hole transporting material in perovskite solar cells. In order to produce solution processed devices, a soluble copper phtalocyanine has been synthesized by n-butyl substitution and it was compared to commercially available tert-butyl substituted copper phthalocyanine. It was found that the configuration of the butyl chain plays a very important role in film conductivity and in the subsequent efficiency of solar cells, n-bytyl derivative being the most effective hole transporter. Such a result is due to the fact that n-butyl derivative allows better packing of the molecules in the film and stronger π-π interaction  

Interface engineering of solar cell device is a prominent strategy to improve the device performance. Herein, we synthesize reduced-graphene scaffold (rGS) by using a new and simple chemical approach. In this regard, we synthesize a hollow structure of graphene and then fabricate a three-dimensional scaffold of graphene with a superior surface area using electrophoretic process. We employ this scaffold as an interface layer between the electron transfer and absorber layers in perovskite solar cell. The characterization tests and photovoltaic results show that rGS improves the carrier transportation, yielding a 27% improvement in device performance as compared to conventional device. Finally,... 

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) use perovskites with an APbX3 structure, where A is a monovalent cation and X is a halide such as Cl, Br, and/or I. Currently, the cations for high-efficiency PSCs are Rb, Cs, methylammonium (MA), and/or formamidinium (FA). Molecules larger than FA, such as ethylammonium (EA), guanidinium (GA), and imidazolium (IA), are usually incompatible with photoactive “black”-phase perovskites. Here, novel molecular descriptors for larger molecular cations are introduced using a “globularity factor”, i.e., the discrepancy of the molecular shape and an ideal sphere. These cationic radii differ significantly from previous reports, showing that especially ethylammonium (EA)... 

Organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have gained considerable attention owing to their impressive photovoltaic properties and simple device manufacturing. In general, PSC employs a perovskite absorber material sandwiched between an electron and hole selective transport layer optimized with respect to optimal band alignment, efficient charge collection, and low interfacial recombination. The interfaces between the perovskite absorber and respective selective contacts play a crucial role in determining photovoltaic performance and stability of PSCs. However, a fundamental understanding is lacking, and there is poor understanding in controlling the physical processes at the... 

The identification of recombination centers in perovskite solar cells is highly challenging. Here, we demonstrate the red and blue excitation wavelength resolved impedance response in state-of-the-art perovskite solar cells (PSCs) providing insights into charge recombination and ion accumulation. To get insight into the interfacial electronic characteristics, we fabricated PSCs with a planar architecture containing state-of-the-art triple-cation perovskite materials as absorber layers. The capacitance-frequency response under various blue and red illumination conditions were used to investigate interfacial charge accumulations and found that under high energy photons irradiation maximum... 

Herein, we report a modified two-step method to construct a uniform and pinhole-free polycrystalline perovskite film with large grains up to the microscale using lead mixed-halide (PbI2-PbCl2) precursor solutions to guarantee the device functioning. Commonly used sequential deposition methods based on dip- and spin-coatings are combined with a vapor-assisted solution process to improve the perovskite morphology and tune the residual lead mixed-halides. These can enhance the optical absorption and efficiency of perovskite solar cell (PSC) devices. The impact of the Cl content in the lead mixed-halide precursors and the employed preparation methods on the photovoltaic performance of PSCs are... 

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are one of the most promising emerging energy-conversion technologies because of their high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and potentially low fabrication cost. To improve PCE, it is necessary to develop PSCs with good interfacial engineering to reduce the trap states and carrier transport barriers present at the various interfaces of the PSCs' architecture. This work reports a facile method to improve the interface between the perovskite absorber layer and the hole transport layer (HTL) by adding a small amount of acetonitrile (ACN) in the Spiro-OMeTAD precursor solution. This small amount of ACN dissolves the surface of the perovskite layer, allowing the... 

In this research, inorganic copper thiocyanate (CuSCN) hole transport layer (HTL) was applied in conventional structure of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Besides, mixed halides perovskite (Cs0.05(MA0.17FA0.83)0.95Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3) was utilized as the light absorbing layer and deposited on FTO/compact TiO2 substrates through a one-step coating method in ambient condition. The mentioned perovskite is more stable against high temperature, high irradiation and humidity compared to commonly applied MAPbI3 perovskite. Nevertheless, the CuSCN could not be well dissolved in usual dipropyl sulfide solution and should be deposited for several times to achieve suitable thickness, this could reduce the... 

Hole-transporter-free perovskite solar cells carrying a carbon back contact electrode provide the possibility of making full printable low cost and stable devices, even though their efficiency is substantially lower than those made in the standard configuration. The present work searched for simple and easy routes for constructing such devices, demonstrating that organic components do enhance device efficiency but only to a level that is not worth the trouble nor the cost. Devices based on a triple mesoporous layer of titania/zirconia/carbon with perovskite infiltration gave an efficiency of 10.7%. After 180 days of storing under ambient conditions, a small loss of efficiency has been... 

Interfacial engineering between the perovskite and hole transport layers has emerged as an effective way to improve perovskite solar cell (PSC) performance. A variety of organic halide salts are developed to passivate the traps and enhance the charge carrier transport. Here, the use of guanidinium iodide (GuaI) for interfacial modification of mixed-cation (Cs)x(FA)1−xPbI3 perovskite films, which results in the formation of a low-dimensional δ-FAPbI3-like phase on the 3D perovskite surface, is reported. The presence of this thin layer facilitates charge transfer at interfaces and reduces charge carrier recombination pathways as evidenced by enhanced carrier lifetimes and favorable interfacial... 

In this study, quick route-coating is practiced to substitute methyl ammonium (MA) cation with formamidinium (FA) at different ratios. Through optimizing the MA:FA ratio, a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.31% is achieved for holes transporting material-free MA0.8FA0.2PbI3 mixed PSCs with the JSC of 19.02 mA/cm2, VOC of 0.859 V and FF of 50.88%. Then, to improve the performance, stability and carrier transport dynamic, various additives (PVA, PVP, PEG and EC) are incorporated into the perovskite layer. The treatment of perovskites with additives has proved to cause significant changes in the surface roughness, charge accumulation, charge transport, charge transport resistance,... 

Herein, a new dopant-free organic material, PV2000, as a stable hole transporting layer (HTL) for the fabrication of stable and efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is introduced. For this purpose, planar PSCs using a triple-A cation perovskite composition are fabricated and the commonly used 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis[N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) HTL is replaced by dopant-free PV2000 polymer. The characterization results disclose that the PV2000 has a great thermal stability, good hole mobility, and suitable band alignment that matches well with the valence band of triple-A cation perovskite. After proper optimization of PV2000 film thickness, a planar PSC... 

Stability is the main challenge in the field of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Finding new strategies is required to protect the PSCs from deteriorating agents such as humidity, heating, and illumination. Herein, a new electron transporting layer (ETL), i.e., CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs), is proposed for the fabrication of efficient and stable PSCs. CdSe/ZnS QDs layer not only works as an ETL but also has downshifting property, which can improve both efficiency and stability of the PSCs. Using CdSe/ZnS QDs ETL with green emission, a PSC with maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18% is achieved. More importantly, the device shows great UV stability, much better than the device with... 

Fullerene derivatives with a strong electron-accepting ability play a crucial role in enhancing both the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, most of the used fullerene molecules are based on [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), which limits the device performance due to difficulties in preparing high-quality and uniform thin films. Herein, solution-processable azahomofullerene (AHF) derivatives (abbreviated as AHF-1 and AHF-2) are reported as novel and effective electron-transport layers (ETLs) in p-i-n planar PSCs. Compared to the control PCBM ETL-based PSCs, the devices based on AHFs exhibit higher photovoltaic performances, which is... 

In the last decade, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solution-processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in the lab-scale has reached an incredible level of 25.5%. Generally, PSCs are composed of a stack consisting of a perovskite thin-film sandwiched between an electron transporting layer (ETL) and a hole transporting layer (HTL). Although the quality of the ETL and HTL interfaces with the perovskite thin-film is important, the quality of the perovskite thin-film is also critical to achieving high-performance PSCs. Low-temperature deposition of organic-inorganic perovskite thin-films by simple solution processes is one of the significant advantages of PSCs compared to other... 

We investigate the use of simple nontoxic Cu2SnS3 (CTS) nanoparticles (NPs) as low-cost dopant-free hole-transport materials (HTMs) a substitute for spiro-OMeTAD in an n-i-p mesoscopic architecture of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Besides, this work confirms the critical role of the crystalline phase of CTS NPs on the performance of the device. Using a facile one-pot heating-up procedure, pure zincblende and wurtzite structures of CTS NPs were obtained by sulfur element and thiourea as the sulfur source, respectively, and were dispersed in chloroform to make very stable nonpolar ink that is compatible with the perovskite. Nanoparticles with the wurtzite crystal phase showed much better...