N-Doped Zwitterionic Fullerenes as Interlayers in Organic and Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices

Abstract

The efficient operation of polymer- and perovskite-based photovoltaic devices depends on selective charge extraction layers that are placed between the active layer and electrodes. Herein, we demonstrate that integration of a tetra-n-butyl ammonium iodide-doped zwitterionic fulleropyrrolidine derivative, C60-SB, as a cathode modification interlayer significantly improves the photovoltaic device performance. Compared to the intrinsic (undoped) zwitterionic material, which is an efficient interlayer itself, the doped interlayers further improve average power conversion efficiencies from 8.37% to 9.68% in polymer-based devices and from 12.53% to 15.31% in perovskite-based devices. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that doping increases the interfacial dipole at the C60-SB/Ag interface, i.e., reduces the effective work function of the resultant composite cathode. This effect originates from the population of negative polaron states in C60-SB by extrinsic charges that prevent directional charge t...