Analytical approach for characterization of morphology and chemistry of a CH3NH3PbI3/TiO2 solar cell layered system

Abstract

Manufacturing of new perovskite layered solar cells with constant high light conversion efficiency over time may be hampered by the loss of efficiency caused by structural and/or chemical alterations of the complex layered system. SEM/EDX combined with XPS were chosen as an appropriate methodical approach to characterize perovskite laboratory cells in depth and at surface, before and after light exposure. The layered perovskite system investigated here is based on glass covered with fluorine doped tin oxide, followed by thin films of TiO2, ZrO2, and a thick monolithic carbon. TiO2 film is subdivided into a dense layer covered by porous one constituted of nanoparticles of truncated bipyramidal shape. This layered system serves as the matrix for the perovskite. EDX spectral maps on cross sections of specimen have shown that Pb and I are distributed homogeneously throughout the porous layers C, ZrO2, and TiO2. SEM/EDX data show that 20 weeks of ambient daylight did not change significantly the in‐depth distribution of the elemental composition of Pb and I throughout the entire solar cell system. It was confirmed with EDX that nanoparticles identified in high‐resolution SEM micrographs contain mainly Pb and I, indicating these to be the perovskite crystals. However, a compositional and chemical altering began in the near‐surface region of the outermost ~10 nm after 2 months of illumination which was observed with XPS.