Triple-cation perovskite solar cells for visible light communications

Natalie A. Mica,Pavlos Manousiadis,Ifor D. W. Samuel,Rui Bian,Harald Haas,Iman Tavakkolnia,Lethy K. Jagadamma,Graham A. Turnbull

doi:10.1364/prj.393647

Natalie A. Mica, Pavlos Manousiadis + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1364/prj.393647

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Abstract

Hybrid perovskite materials are widely researched due to their high absorptivity, inexpensive synthesis, and promise in photovoltaic devices. These materials are also of interest as highly sensitive photodetectors. In this study, their potential for use in visible light communication is explored in a configuration that allows for simultaneous energy and data harvesting. Using a triple-cation material and appropriate device design, a new record data rate for perovskite photodetectors of 56 Mbps and power conversion efficiencies above 20% under white LED illumination are achieved. With this device design, the − 3 dB bandwidth is increased by minimizing the dominating time constant of the system. This correlation between the bandwidth and time constant is proved using measurements of time-resolved photoluminescence, transient photovoltage, and device resistance.

Highlights

Over recent years, hybrid perovskite solar cells have become an increasingly competitive technology for energy harvesting due to their high solar power conversion efficiencies reaching up to 25% [1], stability reaching several thousands of hours [2], and better performance than inorganic solar cells in low-intensity indoor lighting conditions [3,4,5]
Ordinary light emitting diode (LED) lighting can be retrofitted with circuitry to act as a fast data transmitter, while photodetectors, typically in the form of avalanche or p-i-n photodiodes, collect the light to allow for data decoding
We study the performance of these devices under white LED illumination that could be used within a real indoor visible light communication (VLC) setup as well as a red laser used for testing their communication capability

Summary

Introduction

Hybrid perovskite solar cells have become an increasingly competitive technology for energy harvesting due to their high solar power conversion efficiencies reaching up to 25% [1], stability reaching several thousands of hours [2], and better performance than inorganic solar cells in low-intensity indoor lighting conditions [3,4,5]. VLC is a fast and secure method for wireless communication while avoiding increasing congestion in the radio-frequency spectrum For this technology, ordinary light emitting diode (LED) lighting can be retrofitted with circuitry to act as a fast data transmitter, while photodetectors, typically in the form of avalanche or p-i-n photodiodes, collect the light to allow for data decoding. Solar cells can be used as a VLC receiver with appropriate circuitry that detects the alternating current (AC) data input separately from the direct current (DC) lighting background This allows for simultaneous data communication and energy harvesting and it has been explored with inorganic and organic photovoltaics [8,9,10,11]. Perovskite solar cells could be flexible and offer much simpler fabrication than GaAs, with the potential for higher power conversion efficiency than organic solar cells [8,10]

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