Lead-free perovskite solar cells using Sb and Bi-based A3B2X9 and A3BX6 crystals with normal and inverse cell structures

Ajay Kumar Baranwal,Masashi Ikegami,Kouji Yamada,Tsutomu Miyasaka,Youhei Numata,Hidetaka Sugita,Naoyuki Shibayama,Hiroshi Imahori,Seigo Ito,Yoshitaka Sanehira,Tomokazu Umeyama,Hiroyuki Kanda,Shusaku Kanaya,Hideaki Masutani

doi:10.1186/s40580-017-0120-3

Ajay Kumar Baranwal, Masashi Ikegami + Show 12 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s40580-017-0120-3

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Research of CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells had significant attention as the candidate of new future energy. Due to the toxicity, however, lead (Pb) free photon harvesting layer should be discovered to replace the present CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite. In place of lead, we have tried antimony (Sb) and bismuth (Bi) with organic and metal monovalent cations (CH3NH3+, Ag+ and Cu+). Therefore, in this work, lead-free photo-absorber layers of (CH3NH3)3Bi2I9, (CH3NH3)3Sb2I9, (CH3NH3)3SbBiI9, Ag3BiI6, Ag3BiI3(SCN)3 and Cu3BiI6 were processed by solution deposition way to be solar cells. About the structure of solar cells, we have compared the normal (n-i-p: TiO2-perovskite-spiro OMeTAD) and inverted (p-i-n: NiO-perovskite-PCBM) structures. The normal (n-i-p)-structured solar cells performed better conversion efficiencies, basically. But, these environmental friendly photon absorber layers showed the uneven surface morphology with a particular grow pattern depend on the substrate (TiO2 or NiO). We have considered that the unevenness of surface morphology can deteriorate the photovoltaic performance and can hinder future prospect of these lead-free photon harvesting layers. However, we found new interesting finding about the progress of devices by the interface of NiO/Sb3+ and TiO2/Cu3BiI6, which should be addressed in the future study.

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1 Introduction Recent advancements of organic–inorganic perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) thin-film solar cells, which can be fabricated by economical-promising solution process, have marked significant achievements of photoconversion efficiency (PCE) from the initial efficiency of 3.8% to over 22% [1,2,3]
The first lead-free perovskite solar cells were initially fabricated with the substitution of lead to tin (Sn) for the mesoscopic structure solar cells as [10, 11]
In order to improve the photovoltaics of lead free A3B2X9 and A3BX6 solar cells, the further morphological and structural study of Sb and Bi-based metal-halide layers and the effect on PCE should be studied

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Introduction

Recent advancements of organic–inorganic perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) thin-film solar cells, which can be fabricated by economical-promising solution process, have marked significant achievements of photoconversion efficiency (PCE) from the initial efficiency of 3.8% to over 22% [1,2,3]. In order to improve the photovoltaics of lead free A3B2X9 and A3BX6 solar cells, the further morphological and structural study of Sb and Bi-based metal-halide layers and the effect on PCE should be studied.

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