Electron transport layer driven to improve the open-circuit voltage of CH3NH3PbI3 planar perovskite solar cells

Abstract

Suitable electron transport layers are essential for high performance planar perovskite heterojunction solar cells. Here, we use ZnO electron transport layer sputtered under oxygen-rich atmosphere at room temperature to decrease the hydroxide and then suppress decomposition of perovskite films. The perovskite films with improved crystallinity and morphology are achieved. Besides, on the ZnO substrate fabricated at oxygen-rich atmosphere, open-circuit voltage of the CH3NH3PbI3-based perovskite solar cells increased by 0.13 V. A high open-circuit voltage of 1.16 V provides a good prospect for the perovskite-based tandem solar cells. The ZnO sputtered at room temperature can be easily fabricated industrially on a large scale, therefore, compatible to flexible and tandem devices. Those properties make the sputtered ZnO films promising as electron transport materials for perovskite solar cells.