Electron Transfer Layer Research Articles

Modifying the buried interface by a sulfamate enable efficient perovskite solar cells with high stability

The buried interface between the pivotal perovskite layer and the electron transfer layer (ETL) greatly affects the photoelectric property of perovskite layer and the final performance of a perovskite solar cell (PSC). Effectively modifying the buried interface is feasible to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of PSCs. Herein, we employ a sulfamate sodium 4-aminoazobenzene-4′-sulfonate (SABS) with zwitterion to modify the SnO2 film surface to improve the performance of PSCs. The post-treatment makes the surface of SnO2 film smoother and also passivate the anion and cation vacancies of SnO2, which are benefit to the growth of perovskite crystals and strengthen the interface contact between SnO2 layer and perovskite layer. Furthermore, SABS molecules can passivate defects of perovskite layer at the buried interface. By using this post-treating method, the PCE of the final PSC is increased from 21.76 % to 23.86 %, and the storage and operational stability are also significantly improved. This promotion the buried interface via post-treating the SnO2 film with a zwitterion passivator provides a convenient strategy to effectively improve the performance and stability of PSCs.

Bottom Contact Engineering for Ambient Fabrication of >25% Durable Perovskite Solar Cells.

The bottom contact in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is easy to cause deep trap states and severe instability issues, especially under maximum power point tracking (MPPT). In this study, sodium gluconate (SG) is employed to disperse tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles (NPs) and regulate the interface contact at the buried interface. The SG-SnO2 electron transfer layer (ETL) enabled the deposition of pinhole-free perovskite films in ambient air and improved interface contact by bridging effect. SG-SnO2 PSCs achieved an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.34% (certified as 25.17%) with a high open-circuit voltage (VOC) exceeding 1.19V. The VOC loss is less than 0.34V relative to the 1.53eV bandgap, and the fill factor (FF) loss is only 2.02% due to the improved contact. The SG-SnO2 PSCs retained around 90% of their initial PCEs after 1000h operation (T90 = 1000h), higher than T80 = 1000h for the control SnO2 PSC. Microstructure analysis revealed that light-induced degradation primarily occurred at the buried holes and grain boundaries and highlighted the importance of bottom-contact engineering.

Stretchable Sweat Lactate Sensor with Dual-Signal Read-Outs.

Innovations in wearable sweat sensors hold great promise to provide deeper insights into molecular level health information non-invasively. Lactate, a key metabolite present in sweat, holds immense significance in assessing physiological conditions and performance in sports physiology and health sensing. This paper presents the development and characterization of stretchable electrodes with ultrahigh active surface area of 648 % for lactate sensing. The as-printed stretchable electrodes were functionalized with an electron transfer layer comprising Toluidine Blue O and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and an enzymatic layer consisting of lactate dehydrogenase with β-Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as the cofactor for lactate selectivity. This sensor achieves a dual-signal read-out in which both electrochemical and fluorescence signals were obtained during lactate detection, demonstrating promising sensor performance in terms of sensitivity and reliability. We demonstrate the robustness of the dual-signal sensor under simulated conditions of physical deformation and shifted excitation. Under these compromised conditions, the performance of the stretchable electrodes remained largely unaffected, showcasing their potential for robust and adaptable sensing platforms in wearable health monitoring applications.

Enhancement of Electron Transport Characteristics Using MXene-MnFeO3 Nanocomposite Integration with Fullerene Derivatives for the Perovskite-Based Solar Cells and Detectors.

In this study, we prepared a hybrid film incorporating the MnFeO3-decorated conducting two-dimensional (2D) MXene sheet-suspended [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) electron transfer layer (ETL) for the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and detectors. The incorporation of MXene-MnFeO3 with the PCBM ETL could drive exceptional conducting features for the PSCs. Moreover, the presence of MXene-MnFeO3 facilitated superior charge transfer pathways, thereby enhancing the electron extraction and collection processes. This enhancement was directed to improve the electron mobility within the device, resulting in high photocurrents. The designed interface engineering with the MXene-MnFeO3 nanocomposite-tuned PCBM ETL has produced a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 17.79% ± 0.27. Moreover, X-ray detectors employing PCBM modulated with the MXene-MnFeO3 ETL achieved notable performance metrics including 18.47 μA/cm2 CCD-DCD, 5.53 mA/Gy·cm2 sensitivity, 7.64 × 10-4 cm2/V·s electron mobility, and 1.51 × 1015 cm2/V·s trap density.

Comparative examination of both spectral properties and hybrid solar cell application of 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanine dyes

In this study, novel octa 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines, and tetra chloro and tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines were synthesized, characterized, examined their spectral properties comparatively and investigated of hybrid solar cell application of them. The spectral characterizations can be performed for all phthalocyanine compounds, solar cell application was only possible for tetra chloro tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines, the others phthalocyanines not due to their low yield.Solar cell properties of the tetra chloro tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines were studied using the ITO/ZnO/C60/ P3HT /LiF/Al structure. In order to improve and compare performance parameters of the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) based solar cells, the tetra chloro tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted H2Pc (2), Co(II)Pc (3) and Ni(II)Pc (4) compounds were incorporated individually into the solar cell structure between ZnO and C60 layers in which amorphous ZnO nanoparticles serves as electron transfer layer. Solar cell performance parameters such as short circuit current density (JSC), open circuit voltage (VOC), fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (η) were studied as comparison parameters. Incorporation of Ni(II)Pc (4) into the reference structure between ZnO and C60 caused an increase 23.4 % in Jsc and 4.4 % in η whereas incorporation of Co(II)Pc (3) layer into the reference structure caused an increase 135.0 % in Jsc and 107.0 % in η under an illumination of 100 mW/cm2 with an AM 1.5G solar simulator. The best JSC and η (%) values were obtained for P3HT based solar cells with Co(II)Pc (3) interlayer.

Semiconductor heterojunctions coated with reduced graphite oxide as electron transfer materials for high-performance perovskite solar cells

Exploring and insight into the relationship between the microstructure, light absorption performance, and carrier transport of perovskite light absorption layer materials and carrier transport layer materials is crucial for obtaining efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. We adopted a simple strategy to prepare a composite material known as reduced graphene oxide wrapped mesoporous hierarchical TiO2–CdS semiconductor heterojunctions (TiO2–CdS-RGO) as the electron transport layer in formamidine lead iodide perovskite solar cells. Compared with single TiO2 and binary composite, this composite material exhibits enhanced photoluminescence quenching, reduced photo generated carrier recombination rate, and improved electron transfer capability. Photovoltaic devices based on TiO2–CdS-RGO composite material showed a 14.5 % increase in short-circuit current density (JSC) and a 36.3 % increase in photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to those with only TiO2. The improved optoelectronic properties observed with the TiO2–CdS-RGO as electron transfer layers can be attributed to several factors. On the one hand, mesoporous TiO2 with a high specific surface area is beneficial for perovskite infiltration and enhances electron transfer rate. On the other hand, the well-matching energy level structure among the three components aids in electrons extraction and reduces the recombination rate of photo generated charge carriers; In addition, RGO nanosheets with high conductivity serve as an efficient electron transfer network, providing a rapid charge transfer pathways, which is crucial for enhancing the photoelectric conversion performance of perovskite solar cells.

Elucidating roles of fulleropyrrolidine-based materials as extraordinary electron transporters for boosting efficiency of perovskite photovoltaics

To achieve an ideal electron transfer layer (ETL) for perovskite solar cell (PSC), effective compounds were developed based on fullerene C60 functionalized with a pyrrolidine ring (fulleropyrrolidine), to which a cyanoethyl group, a thiophene ring, and four DNA bases were attached. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to study structural, electronic, optical, and electron mobility features of these materials. To more precisely determine the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of all samples, the NBO calculations were accomplished at PBE0-D3/6-31G(d,p) theoretical level. The LUMO levels of all ETL samples could be aligned with the conduction band of perovskite CsFAMAPbIBr via their coupling within fabricated PSCs, enabling easy electron injection from CsFAMAPbIBr to the Ag electrode. All functionalized fullerene C60–based ETLs exhibited very high electron mobilities in the range of 0.744–1.598 cm2V−1s−1 which were significantly greater than 1.461 × 10−5 cm2V−1s−1 for pure C60 as the reference. High fill factors (FFs), power conversion efficiencies (PCEs), and open circuit voltages (VOC) were measured for PSC devices with C60–based ETLs, varying within the ranges of 0.892–0.897, 22.489–23.984 %, and 1.111–1.179 V, respectively, indicating they could yield excellent photovoltaic parameters.

Tungsten, copper and cobalt-single metal atom oxides embedded CeO2-MnO2-rGO nanorods as electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen evolution reaction

BackgroundAn important aspect of energy conversion and storage technology is primarily based on the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution process (OER). MethodHere, we present the newly designed synthesis of an improved variety of WCuCo-CeO2-MnO2-R-3 nanocomposites, to enhance OER by incorporating the reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and SMAO of W, Cu, and Co with the nanorods of CeO2-MnO2 materials. Interestingly, the higher density of SMAO (W, Cu, and Co), atomic utilization and electron transfer layer of rGO influenced the CeO2-MnO2 nanorods with remarkably superior electrocatalytic OER activity. Significant findingsThis makes WCuCo-CeO2-MnO2-R-3 achieve 10 mA cm-2 with an overpotential of 275 mV and a lower Tafel slop of 64.46 mV dec‑1. The higher number of SMAO (W, Cu, and Co) species close to the catalyst surface served as potential active sites assembly to enhance the OER activity by improving the chemical and electrochemical steps during the OER process. The chronoamperometry test revealed that the WCuCo-CeO2-MnO2-R-3 nanocomposite is not degrade in a 1 M KOH solution for 24 h, and it is stable up to 2000 CV cycles. In order to create very effective catalysts for OER, the DFT theoretical results shed light on the connection between the catalytic characteristics of metal oxide structures and their inherent electronic configuration.

Natural Chelating Agent-Treated Electron Transfer Layer for Friendly Environmental and Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the electron transfer layer (ETL) characteristics have significant effects on the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of the devices. Herein, a natural chelating agent polymer polyaspartic acid (PASP) is doped into the SnO2 precursor solution attributed to a strong interaction between PASP molecules and SnO2, which strengthens the interface contact and passivates the vacancy oxygen trap of the obtained SnO2 ETL, thus promoting the transfer of electrons. In addition, PASP can also regulate the growth of perovskite crystals, leading to an improved crystal quality of the perovskite films. Meanwhile, there is an excellent chelate anchoring of PASP to uncoordinated Pb2+, facilitating the reduction of trap defects at the interface, improving the stability of device, and suppressing the leakage of toxic Pb. Finally, the photovoltaic performance of the optimized device was greatly improved, and the PCE was increased from 21.22 to 23.49%, with outstanding environmental stability. This work provides an inexpensive and efficient treatment strategy that improves the performance and stability of friendly environmental PSCs.

SCAPS 1D based study of hole and electron transfer layers to improve MoS2–ZrS2 solar cell efficiency

In the realm of photovoltaic applications, scientists and technocrats are striving to maximize the solar cell input photon energy conversion to electricity. However, achieving optimal cell efficiency requires significant time and energy investment for each variation and optimization. To overcome this issue authors simulated and studied the fabricated cell for optimizing conditions, which can save time and efforts for the relatively better outcomes. The family of transition metal chalcogenides holds promise as a material that yield improved outcomes in optoelectronic applications, particularly in photovoltaics. These materials are employed in experimental investigations aimed at enhancing solar cell parameters, resulting in the development of the FTO/ZnO/ZrS2/MoS2/CuO/Au composite cell. Numerical simulations utilizing SCAPS-1D software is conducted, focusing on the significance of CuO as a hole transport layer (HTL), and ZnO as an electron transport layer (ETL). The investigation examines into the impact of various factors, including thickness, bandgap, and carrier densities for both HTL and ETL, on fundamental solar cell parameters. The study indicates that device parameters are influenced by factors such as recombination rate, photogenerated current, charge carrier length, and built-in-voltage. Optimized parameters for HTL, including thickness, bandgap, and carrier concentration, are determined to be 0⋅35 μm, 1⋅2 eV, and 1⋅0 × 1020 cm–3, respectively. For ETL, the optimized parameters are found to be 0⋅05 μm, 3⋅1 eV, and 1⋅0 × 1018 cm–3, respectively. With these optimized parameters, the efficiency of the solar cell reached 20⋅64%, accompanied by open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and fill factor values of 0.836 V, 36.021 mA⋅cm–2, and 68⋅54%, respectively. The simulated results indicate that addition of two extra layers and the use of efficient binary materials in heterojunction formation can effectively enhance device parameters, offering advantages such as low-cost and large-scale fabrication.

The Role of Optimal Electron Transfer Layers for Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells-A Systematic Review.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which are constructed using organic-inorganic combination resources, represent an upcoming technology that offers a competitor to silicon-based solar cells. Electron transport materials (ETMs), which are essential to PSCs, are attracting a lot of interest. In this section, we begin by discussing the development of the PSC framework, which would form the foundation for the requirements of the ETM. Because of their exceptional electronic characteristics and low manufacturing costs, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a promising proposal for future generations of thin-film solar energy. However, PSCs with a compact layer (CL) exhibit subpar long-term reliability and efficacy. The quality of the substrate beneath a layer of perovskite has a major impact on how quickly it grows. Therefore, there has been interest in substrate modification using electron transfer layers to create very stable and efficient PSCs. This paper examines the systemic alteration of electron transport layers (ETLs) based on electron transfer layers that are employed in PSCs. Also covered are the functions of ETLs in the creation of reliable and efficient PSCs. Achieving larger-sized particles, greater crystallization, and a more homogenous morphology within perovskite films, all of which are correlated with a more stable PSC performance, will be guided by this review when they are developed further. To increase PSCs' sustainability and enable them to produce clean energy at levels previously unheard of, the difficulties and potential paths for future research with compact ETLs are also discussed.

MXene-based novel nanocomposites doped SnO2 for boosting the performance of perovskite solar cells

Since being first published in 2018, the use of two-dimensional MXene in solar cells has attracted significant interest. This study presents, for the first time, the synthesis of an efficient hybrid electrocatalyst in the form of a nanocomposite (MXene/CoS)-SnO2 designed to function as a high-performance electron transfer layer (ETL). The study can be divided into three distinct parts. The first part involves the synthesis of single-layer Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets, followed by the preparation of a CoS solution. Subsequently, in the second part, the fabrication of MXene/CoS heterostructure nanocomposites is carried out, and a comprehensive characterization is conducted to evaluate the physical, structural, and optical properties. In the third part, the attention is on the crucial characterizations of the novel nanocomposite-electron transport layer (ETL) solution, significantly contributing to the evolution of perovskite solar cells. Upon optimising the composition, an exceptional power conversion efficiency of more than 17.69% is attained from 13.81% of the control devices with fill factor (FF), short-circuit current density (Jsc), and open-circuit voltage (Voc) were 66.51%, 20.74 mA/cm2, and 1.282 V. Therefore, this PCE is 21.93% higher than the control device. The groundbreaking MXene/CoS (2 mg mL−1) strategy reported in this research represents a promising and innovative avenue for the realization of highly efficient perovskite solar cells.

Low-temperature welding engineering of ZnO nanoparticles films via sol-gel method

ZnO nanoparticles is a highly promising semiconductor material as an electron transfer layer layer (ETL) in various optoelectronic devices. The cost-effective and low-temperature preparation method renders it ideal for the development of flexible and large-scale modules, aligning seamlessly with the commercialization process. However, Solution-derived ZnO exhibits a significant number of surface defects, which affect the device's photoelectric conversion performance and stability. Herein, a simple strategy focusing on controlling the nano size of ZnO was employed to mitigate these surface defects. Welded ZnO films were prepared via spin coating with a precise amount of ZnO sol into dispersion. These films were characterized via techniques such as TEM, FSEM XRD, DLS, UV/vis and so on. PL spectra revealed a notable decrease in defect density with the increase in nano size. AFM reveals that films doped with 15 % sol exhibit root mean square (RMS) values of less than 1 nm, indicative of improved smoothness. Moreover, the four-point probe detected enhanced electrical conductivity attributed to the compact structure and improved integrity of the films. The presence of nanoparticles facilitates the crystallization of ZnO sol, allowing for an annealing temperature during the welding process to as low as around 90°C, compatible with flexible plastic substrates such as PET. The welded ZnO films produced at a low temperature in this study demonstrate high potential as ETL for flexible optoelectronic devices, which is conducive to their commercialization and large-scale deployment.

Ligand‐Triggered MXene Quantum Dots with Tunable Work Function as Anode and Cathode Interlayers for Organic Solar Cells

The interfacial layers of organic optoelectronic devices generally suffer from the problems of difficulty in regulating the work function (WF) and low mobility, which are prone to mismatch of interfacial energy levels and loss of carrier transport energy. Herein, O‐terminated and NH2‐terminated Ti3C2Tx MXenes quantum dots (MQDs) are synthesized to develop efficient O‐MQD hole transfer layer (HTL) and E‐MQD electron transfer layer (ETL) for organic optoelectronic devices of organic solar cells (OSCs) and organic photodetectors (OPDs). It is found that the strong electronic coupling interaction between the surface terminations and matrices enables O‐MQD and E‐MQD with tunable WF and satisfactory conductivity. Consequently, in a binary D18:L8‐BO system, the power conversion efficiencies of the OSC device based on O‐MQD HTL and E‐MQD ETL are 18.62% and 18.15%, respectively. Moreover, the OPDs with O‐MQD HTL and E‐MQD ETL exhibit higher shot‐noise‐limited detectivity (Dshot*) of 1.24 × 1013 and 1.10 × 1013 Jones, respectively, compared to the devices using classic interlayers. These findings provide some insights into the design of advanced dual‐function interlayers for organic optoelectronic devices.

Perovskite half tandem v-shaped grating nanostructure solar cells: Improvement by light trapping and carrier transfer towards efficiency enhancement

In this paper, the enhancement of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) efficiency through the implementation of a half-tandem structure featuring two absorbent layers of MAPbI3 and MoTe2 with a V-shaped nanostructured grating was investigated. MoTe2 was utilized as the second lower absorbent with a smaller bandgap than the first and upper absorbent, MAPbI3, to cover the incident light absorption in the infrared wavelength range. Additionally, the structure was also optimized by introducing a nanostructured V-shaped grating to increase the light propagation path and improve the absorption in the active layers. Also, the critical role of the electron transfer layer (ETL) and hole transfer layer (HTL) in carrier transfer and prevention of charge leakage was examined for materials including TiO2, TiO2-Gr (5%) nanocomposite, and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) as ETLs, and Cu2FeSnS4 (CFTS) and reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) as HTLs in four distinct cell configurations. In this study, the optical and electrical models were solved to determine the optimal solar cell structure and materials through a comparative analysis of structures. Our findings revealed substantial improvements in short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), and power conversion efficiency (PCE), where they increased from 15.27 to 31.55 mA/cm2, 0.91 to 1.30 V, and 11.78 to 27.63%, respectively. This resulted in a 2.35 times efficiency enhancement for the nanostructured V-shaped half-tandem solar cell with MAPbI3 (250 nm) and MoTe2 (150 nm) as absorbent layers, AZO (40 nm) as ETL and rGo (40 nm) as HTL compared to the planar non-tandem solar cell with MAPbI3 (250 nm) as absorbent layer, TiO2 (40 nm) as ETL and CFTS (40 nm) as HTL.

Coagulation and crystallinity in Sn (II, IV) oxide as an electron transfer layer

Coagulation and crystallinity in Sn (II, IV) oxide as an electron transfer layer

Thermal modeling of perovskite solar cells: Electron and hole transfer layers effects

The thermal behavior of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can significantly affect their performance, and its investigation leads to a deep understanding of PSCs optimization. In this paper, the electrical and thermal behavior of a PSC is studied. To this end, the optical generation rate is calculated for the standard AM 1.5 solar spectrum and then is applied to calculate the current-voltage characteristics. Examining the efficiency (considering the recombination) for different materials of the electron and hole transfer layers (ETM, HTM, respectively), a structure with better merits is selected. The results revealed that Spiro-OMeTAD as the HTM layer leads to better results than the inorganic one. Hence, the Spiro-OMeTAD-based PSC structures were selected for the thermal modeling section. In the final step, considering the heat generated due to losses (resulting from resistive heating and non-radiative recombination), the thermal behavior of devices is surveyed. The structures with geometrical dimensions of a practical PSC (deposited on a glass substrate with a SiO2 passivation layer) show operating temperatures between 73 °C to 76°C and 80°C to 84.5°C for ZnO and TiO2 as ETMs, respectively. The high heat generated in the perovskite layer can accelerate its undesirable chemical reactions. Surveying the temperature distribution of PSCs can pave the way to study its effects on ion migration and the corrosion of contacts, which are the main drawbacks of such low-cost energy harvesters.

Investigation of efficiency and temperature dependence in RbGeBr3-based perovskite solar cell structures

This study is centered on the exploration of the inorganic perovskite material RbGeBr3 as an absorbing layer in various configurations of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The Poisson, continuity, and transport equations are solved using the finite element method for calculation. Systematic variations in the thicknesses of the RbGeBr3 absorber layer and the electron transfer layer are performed, with gold (Au) and silver (Ag) utilized as metal contacts for the electrodes. The study also delves into the impact of temperature variations on the efficacy of these structures. Among the tested configurations, the FTO/TiO2/RbGeBr3/P3HT/Au configuration emerges as the most efficient, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 11.89 %, with a short-circuit current of 14.47 mA/cm2 and an open-circuit voltage of 0.96 V. Additionally, two alternative structures, FTO/ITO/RbGeBr3/PEDOT:PSS/Au and FTO/ITO/RbGeBr3/PEDOT:PSS/Ag, are investigated, yielding comparable power conversion efficiencies of 11.374 %. The findings of this study can serve as valuable insights for the design of more advanced and efficient perovskite solar cells based on mineral perovskite layers.

Au-decorated Sb2Se3 photocathodes for solar-driven CO2 reduction.

Photoelectrodes with FTO/Au/Sb2Se3/TiO2/Au architecture were studied in photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (PEC CO2RR). The preparation is based on a simple spin coating technique, where nanorod-like structures were obtained for Sb2Se3, as confirmed by SEM images. A thin conformal layer of TiO2 was coated on the Sb2Se3 nanorods via ALD, which acted as both an electron transfer layer and a protective coating. Au nanoparticles were deposited as co-catalysts via photo-assisted electrodeposition at different applied potentials to control their growth and morphology. The use of such architectures has not been explored in CO2RR yet. The photoelectrochemical performance for CO2RR was investigated with different Au catalyst loadings. A photocurrent density of ∼7.5 mA cm-2 at -0.57 V vs. RHE for syngas generation was achieved, with an average Faradaic efficiency of 25 ± 6% for CO and 63 ± 12% for H2. The presented results point toward the use of Sb2Se3-based photoelectrodes in solar CO2 conversion applications.

A Comparative Study of Coprecipitation and Solvothermal Techniques for Synthesizing Pure and Cu‐Doped SnO2 Nanoparticles

Tin oxide (SnO2), with its low resistivity properties and high transparency in the visible spectrum, makes it an attractive electron transfer layer (ETL) for use in perovskite solar cells. Here, we use two techniques, coprecipitation and solvothermal, to synthesize pure and 4% copper‐doped SnO2. The X‐ray diffraction patterns revealed that the films synthesized using both methods have a crystalline structure with a tetragonal arrangement. Furthermore, the lack of any secondary peaks indicated the absence of mixed tin oxide (Sn2O4) or copper oxide (CuO) components. Additionally, it demonstrated that adding a 4% Cu doping concentration reduced the crystal size in both methods. The optical results indicate adequate transmission in the central range of the visible spectrum. Calculations were performed to find the energy gap of pure SnO2 in both techniques to be 3.85 eV and 4.17 eV, respectively. When we doped SnO2 with 4% Cu, this band gap energy decreased to 3.75 eV and 3.9 eV. Furthermore, with 4% Cu doping, the particle size decreases, as demonstrated by FESEM. The EDX spectroscopy images revealed that the synthesized nanoparticles consisted of copper, oxygen, and tin. The analysis of functional groups using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and the roughness analysis using AFM images showed a decrease in roughness from 46.1 nm to 12.3 nm in doped samples prepared by solvothermal synthesis, compared to those synthesized by the coprecipitation technique from 4.7 nm to 0.3 nm. We discovered that Cu plays an essential role in reducing nanocrystalline SnO2 particle sizes. In addition, the solvothermal technique is more impressive than coprecipitation in the synthesis of tin oxide nanostructure.