Low-Temperature Solution-Processed Amorphous Titania Nanowire Thin Films for 1 cm2 Perovskite Solar Cells.

Abstract

The development of solution-processed inorganic amorphous electron-transporting layers (ETLs) is important for the future commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The formation of such ETLs using low-temperature processing techniques will lower potential production costs and accommodate diverse substrate materials. Herein, a low-temperature (<150 °C) solution process forms amorphous titania nanowire (Am-TNW) thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide conducting glass substrates. When applied as an ETL in PSCs, the Am-TNW layer achieves a higher average power conversion efficiency (18.3%) relative to that of a nanocrystalline anatase TNW (ATNW) layer obtained after high-temperature (500 °C) heating (16.7%). Compared to the ATNW counterparts, the Am-TNW-based PSCs exhibit inferior charge extraction across the TNW/CH3NH3PbI3 interface but more effectively suppress interfacial charge recombination. The insertion of a fullerene layer between the Am-TNW and CH3NH3PbI3 improves the charge extraction. The Am-TNW-based bilayer ETL gave optimal power conversion efficiencies of 20.3% and 19.0% for PSCs with 0.16 cm2 and 1.00 cm2 apertures, respectively. This is due to the concurrent advantages of enhanced light absorption, facilitated charge extraction, and reduced charge recombination. The use of the Am-TNW as an ETL in PSCs provides a facile, efficient way to increase the effectiveness of PSCs.