Organic Perovskite Solar Cells Research Articles

An analysis comparing the performance of lead and tin halides organic Perovskite Solar Cells and numerical simulation with SCAPS.

The scientific community focused on finding environmentally safe alternative metal halides to address the instability and toxicity associated with lead perovskite materials. These alternatives are supposed to replace lead halides without altering the distinctive properties of lead perovskite materials. Additionally, they should contribute to producing longer-lasting and stable perovskite in solar cells. This research presents a practical investigation of using tin- and lead-based composites in perovskite iodide solar cells with Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and Copper oxide (CuO) as electron transport materials (ETM) and hole transport materials (HTM), respectively. The performance parameters of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are compared with those of lead-based and lead-free PSCs with the same charge transport layers of ETM and HTM, as well as compare the practical results with the software results of Solar Cell Capacitance Simulation (SCAPS) package. In this study, the performance of PSCs with an absorption layer ((CH3NH3PbI3)t / (CH3NH3SnI3)1-t) was examined. The thickness of the perovskite layer is represented by (t), which can take the values( t = 1, 0.5, or 0) μm. The results of the laboratory study were compared to the performance of PSCs based on numerical analysis of SCAPS modeling. PSCs were prepared with a configuration structure (FTO / compact TiO2 / (CH3NH3PbI3)t/ (CH3NH3SnI3)1-t /CuO /Cu-electrode). A tetragonal phase was obtained for perovskite materials CH3NH3PbI3 and CH3NH3SnI3 with a direct optical energy gap estimated at (1.55 and 1.35) eV, respectively. The l-V curve of the prepared PSCs was studied, and the performance of the solar cells was examined under a light intensity of 100 mW/cm2. The power conversion efficiency, PCE, of the prepared solar cells, was (PCE = 2.9, 3.11, or 0.5) at (t = 1, 0.5, or 0)μm, respectively. A comparative analysis was also performed between the empirical performance of the manufactured PSCs and the theoretical results acquired by the SCAPS package software.

Performance enhancement of organic perovskite solar cell with graphene oxide as electron transport layer

Performance enhancement of organic perovskite solar cell with graphene oxide as electron transport layer

Hybrid Organic-Inorganic ZnO/PCBM Electron Transport Layer with Organic Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cell Materials CH3NH3PbIX2, X is Cl or I

An experimental investigation has been undertaken to explore a variety of properties of organic perovskite solar cells (OPSCs) that are distinct in their photovoltaic response. In this study, OPSCs were constructed using zinc oxide, ZnO and [6,6]-phenylC[Formula: see text]-acid methyl ester, PCBM, as electron transfer materials (ETM), poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT, as hole transport material (HTM), and CH3NH3PbIX2 as a photosensitizer, where X is either Cl or I. The structural and optical characteristics of the ETM and HTM layers and the perovskite materials of OPSCs were investigated. The [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] curves of each solar cell prepared in OPSCs were measured using an integrated cell tester. This comprises a photovoltaic [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] measurement system and a solar simulation system. As a result of these results, the OPSC’s performance is evaluated. The calculations in this work suggest that the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE = 6.31%) was achieved in photovoltaic devices using CH3NH3PbI3 as the effective absorber layer and ZnO with PCBM as the ETM layer. At a light intensity of 100 mW/cm2, each OPSC cell was performed. Under the same conditions, the [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] curves were evaluated for each OPSC device. By improving the selection of organic and inorganic active materials in the ETM layer, OPSC performance may be improved.

A facile strategy for highly efficient perovskite crystals fabricated in a high moisture environment via solvent engineering process

BackgroundHybrid organic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have recently gained recognition for their excellent photovoltaic properties. However, most PSCs were fabricated in a nitrogen-filled glovebox to prevent damage from moisture. Overcoming humidity damage is crucial for PSC fabrication in an ambient atmosphere. Fabricating perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under ambient atmosphere conditions needs the aid of substrate heating or air-knife flow to rapidly evaporate solvents. MethodsHerein, we propose a facile solvent engineering method without extra equipment or processes for fabricating highly efficient PSCs in a high moisture condition by a one-step spin-coating process. Acetone incorporation into the perovskite precursor solution not only prevents the ingress of moisture, but also accelerates the volatilization of solvents during the crystallization process. Significant findingsThe as-prepared PSCs feature low trap-state density, high charge recombination resistance, low hysteresis, and long charge lifetime. Little MABr and PbBr2 are separated out to passivate interface/grain-boundary defects. At a 10% acetone incorporation, the highest power conversion efficiency can reach 17.75% for the PSC fabricated in 70% relative humidity. The work provides a facile, promising method to prepare highly efficient PSCs in an ambient atmosphere.

The design and performance optimization of all-inorganic CsPbIBr2/CsSnI3 heterojunction perovskite solar cells

With the fast growth of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), inorganic perovskite, represented by Cs-based perovskite, consistently surpasses organic perovskite solar cells in regards of photovoltaic performance. Among them, CsPbIBr2 materials stand out for their excellent efficiency and stability in all-inorganic PSCs. Unfortunately, poor solar energy utilization results from the CsPbIBr2′s wide band gap, which severely limits light harvesting. This work proposes an all-inorganic CsPbIBr2/CsSnI3 heterojunction using CsSnI3 instead of HTL based on the matched band structure of CsSnI3 and CsPbIBr2, then simulations and optimizes it using SCAPS-1D software to increase solar energy utilization and cell efficiency. The results show that the CsPbIBr2/CsSnI3 perovskite heterojunction PSC extends the absorption spectral wavelength range from 600 nm in the visible area to 960 nm in the near-infrared region, which greatly improves solar energy utilization and is more favorable to photogenerated carrier migration. The device's performance is ideal after optimization when Voc = 1.0344 V, Jsc = 39.36 mA/cm2, FF = 89.43%, and PCE = 36.41%. The device efficiency of the optimized CsPbIBr2/CsSnI3 heterojunction is 36.41%, which is significantly higher than the PCE of 5.45% for a single layer of CsPbIBr2. Moreover, the CsPbIBr2/CsSnI3 solar cell can respond to near-infrared light, enabling it to generate power at night. Consequently, this work reveals that the constructed CsPbIBr2/CsSnI3 heterojunction PSCs can enable the bright future of Cs-based inorganic PSCs for practical applications in photovoltaics and optoelectronics.

Design and optimization of non-toxic and highly efficient tin-based organic perovskite solar cells by device simulation

An organic, lead-free, n-i-p planar perovskite solar cell (PSC) based on CH3NH3SnI3 was demonstrated in this work using a solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS). A material cell design of FTO/ZnO/CH3NH3SnI3/Cu2O/Au has been investigated for this study. A detailed analysis has been performed on the role of thickness, electron affinity, doping concentration of the perovskite layer, ETL, HTL, defect density of perovskite layer and temperature on PSC performance. For optimum conditions, the energy conversion efficiency is around 26.55%, accompanied by fill factor = 85.58%, open circuit voltage = 1.03 V, short circuit current density = 30.14 mA/cm2, and quantum efficiency of 80%–90%. This model shows the prospect of CH3NH3SnI3 as a perovskite material to produce toxic-free environment-friendly solar cells with high efficiency.

Organo-Lead Halide Perovskite Materials CH3NH3PbI2X, X is I, Br, or Cl, in Solar Cell Applications

The optoelectronic response of organic perovskite solar cells (OPSCs) exhibits a variety of unique and distinguishing characteristics. In this study, OPSCs with photosensitizers, CH3NH3PbI2X, where X is I, Br, or Cl, are created using TiO2 as the electron transport material (ETM) and CuO as the hole transport material (HTM). The perovskite materials’ structural and optical characteristics, as well as the OPSCs’ ETM layers, are investigated. Next, the OPSC’s performance is evaluated. The integrated cell tester, which includes the I-V photovoltaic measurements system and the solar simulation system, was used to measure the I-V curves of the OPSCs. The photovoltaic devices with MAPbI3 as an efficient absorption layer had the best power conversion efficiency [Formula: see text]. Measurements of the OPSC’s performance were tested at 100[Formula: see text]mW/cm2 of light intensity.

Enhancing the Photovoltaic Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells by Doping 2-mercaptoimidazole in the Active Layer

Organic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is concerned due to their photoelectric performance, low price, and solution treatable. However, there are defects in perovskite crystals that affect the power conversion efficiency (PCE) improvement. These effects include carrier transport, the morphology of the film surface, etc. Passivation is a reliable solution to reduce defects in crystals. We doped 2-mercaptoimidazole (2-MI) in the perovskite active layer to obtain efficient perovskite solar cells, the PCE of organic PSCs with 2-MI reaches 18.26%, which is effectively improved compared to the original device (17.58%). This work provides a new strategy for efficient PSCs.

Improving the Performance of Organic Perovskite Solar Cells by Additive Engineering with 6‐Aminonicotinic Acid

Perovskite Solar Cells In article number 2200405, Jian Zhang, Ye Li, Yu Duan, and co-workers introduced 6-aminonicotinic acid into MAPbI3 as a crosslinking agent between perovskite grain boundaries to improve the quality of perovskite films, reduce the defect density, and effectively improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The optimized efficiency achieved for the PSCs was as high as 19.71% and still has an initial efficiency of 75% after 500 hours shelf storage. This paper provides a simple and effective strategy for efficient and stable PSCs, which is conducive to the commercial application of PSCs in the future.

Environmentally compatible 3‐dimensional star‐shaped donor materials for efficient organic solar cells

Small molecule (SM)-based star-shaped materials are getting tremendous attention to be employed as hole transport materials for organic/perovskite solar cells (OSCs) due to their tunable energy levels, intense absorption ability, and their three-dimensional (3D) charge transport properties. Herein, four-armed SM donors (BD1-BD10) with benzodithiophene (BDT) as the central-core unit have been efficiently designed and then characterized theoretically to investigate their optical and optoelectronic behavior. These four-armed designed star-shaped (BD1-BD10) materials exhibited deeper HOMO levels and higher extinction coefficients, which tend to offer better phase separation morphology during blend formation. These molecules (BD1-BD10) and reference (R) have been fully characterized theoretically with advanced quantum chemical approaches. The photophysical and optoelectronic characteristics have been investigated with density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD-DFT) calculations. The alignment of frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), optical characteristics, open-circuit voltages, the density of states (DOS), transition density matrix (TDM), and reorganization energies of holes and electrons in these materials have been investigated. BD3 shows the highest absorption (λmax) of 571.33 nm, with an optical bandgap at 3.30 eV, respectively. Moreover, a complex study of BD3/PC61BM unveiled the process of remarkable charge shifting at the donor-acceptor interface. Therefore, our proposed strategy is a prerequisite for designing desirable photovoltaic molecules for efficient organic/perovskite SCs and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Improving the Performance of Organic Perovskite Solar Cells by Additive Engineering with 6‐Aminonicotinic Acid

The disordered distribution of defects in perovskite structures seriously disrupts the carrier transmission rates and limits the power conversion efficiency (PCE) in perovskite‐based solar cells. Defect passivation is an effective strategy to eliminate defects in perovskites and suppress the process of nonradiative recombination. Herein, 6‐aminonicotinic acid (6‐ANA, C6H6N2O2), which contains both amino and carboxyl groups, has been used, as a crosslinking agent, between perovskite grain boundaries, which allows for the development of efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The passivation mechanism of 6‐ANA that enables the fabrication of highly efficient and stable PSCs has systematically been investigated in this study. The results show that the crystallinity of the perovskite film improves with the addition of 6‐ANA in the perovskite films and the trap density is suppressed. The optimized efficiency achieved for the PSC device is as high as 19.71% while maintaining an initial efficiency of 75% after 500 h of shelf storage. This work provides a simple and effective strategy to reduce electronic defects, present in perovskite films, as well as at the interface between the perovskite films and the hole transport layers.

The adsorption postures of water on CH3NH3PbI3 surfaces: a first-principles insight

Inorganic organic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a kind of solar cells with rapid development in recent years, but their poor environmental stability, such as the water degradation behavior, hinders their commercialization. Here, we have thoroughly studied the adsorption postures of water on CH3NH3PbI3 surfaces. It is found that the adsorption energy of water molecules on perovskite surfaces is [-0.63, -0.59] eV, and with different initial postures, water molecules could eventually be adsorbed above Pb atom in a horizontal structure. The interaction between the perovskite surface and water molecules mainly comes from the electron exchange of Pb-O atoms. The weak interaction between H-I atoms makes the H atom approach the I atom, which could help maintain a horizontal structure of water molecules. The interactions between perovskite surfaces and water are well explained by our DFT calculations.

Enhancing the efficiency of Pb-based and Sn-based perovskite solar cell by applying different ETL and HTL using SCAPS-ID

Inorganic-organic perovskite solar cell (PSC) is highly promising for researchers among all third generation solar cells because of its low cost fabrication and rapid efficiency progression. Even though Pb-based perovskite solar cell obtained better efficiency but toxicity and minimal stability of Pb is a critical issue and therefore Sn-based perovskite solar cell is very popular for current research. Hence, this paper focuses on the determination of the efficiency of both Pb-based and Sn-based perovskite solar cell. Total eight different types of pervoskite solar cell structures have been simulated using SCAPS-ID for both Pb-based and Sn –based PSCs by varying ETL and HTL using bandgap of 1.50 eV and 1.24 eV respectively. Based on the simulation results for structure TCO/ZnO/CH3NH3PbI3/CuI/Pt maximum efficiency has been obtained 23.20% with FF 83.51%, VOC 1.0735 V and JSC 25.88 mA/cm2 at 300K and for TCO/TiO2/CH3NH3SnI3/CuI/Au maximum efficiency has been found 33.41% with FF 89.03%, VOC 1.1169 V and JSC 33.60 mA/cm2 at 300K. The influence of temperature on efficiency of PSCs has also been observed from 300K to 400K. The results suggest that higher efficiency lead-free Sn-based organic perovskite solar cell could be more efficient and environment friendly.

Dopant Free Triphenylamine‐Based Hole Transport Materials with Excellent Photovoltaic Properties for High‐Performance Perovskite Solar Cells

Recently, scientists are more devoted to designing and synthesizing organic perovskite solar cells for attaining high power conversion efficiency (PCE). Herein, a series of small molecules as hole transport materials with A–π–D–π–A framework, namely (DFA1, DFA2, DFA3, and DFA4) having triphenylamine (TPA)‐based central donor core unit (A1–A4) end‐capped acceptor moieties linked via thiophene spacer is designed theoretically to study optoelectronic and photovoltaic properties. MPW1PW91 hybrid functional in conjunction with 6‐31G** basis set is found the best method to investigate the optoelectronic and photovoltaic properties. All hole transport materials (HTMs) possess a high open‐circuit voltage (0.98–1.41 V) with downshifted highest occupied molecular orbital energy values (−4.98 to −5.41 eV) by tailoring of electron‐withdrawing acceptor moieties. Meanwhile, appropriate elongation of π‐conjugated acceptor units is advantageous for enhancing the molar absorption coefficient and intermolecular electronic coupling. The highest hole mobility and charge transfer integral owing to lower hole reorganization energies indicate these molecules are best for HTMs. DFA1‐DFA4 has a power conversion efficiency of up to 24% which authenticates that these HTMs have excellent photovoltaic attributes compared to the reported reference DFH. The present computational investigation validates the efficacy of the designed techniques and opens a new route for designing high‐performance dopant‐free HTMs in perovskite solar cells.

Ambient Air-Stable CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells Using Dibutylethanolamine as a Morphology Controller

Hybrid inorganic–organic perovskite solar cells have gained increased attention due to their easy processing and exceptional power conversion efficiencies. However, their limited stability against ...

An investigation on the impact of temperature variation over the performance of tin-based perovskite solar cell: A numerical simulation approach

Hybrid inorganic–organic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have grabbed the interest of the researchers worldwide because of their exceptional performance in past few years. The PSCs have exhibited tremendous improvement in performance within a decade with increment in Power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 3.2% to 25.2%. The widely used absorber layer in PSCs is methylammonium lead trihalide (MAPbX3 where X = Cl, Br, I). The toxicity of Lead (Pb) is a matter of distress by some researchers, so Tin (Sn) is being used as a replacement. However, the Tin-based PSCs still lag behind in performance as compared to lead-based PSCs. In this work, we demonstrate an efficient design of Tin based PSCs with high efficiency of 23.35%. We also report the effect of temperature variation (300–400 K) on the performance of MASnI3 based solar cell using three different ETLs.

Recent Advances in Cs2AgBiBr6-Based Halide Double Perovskites as Lead-Free and Inorganic Light Absorbers for Perovskite Solar Cells

Although lead-based inorganic–organic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have delivered the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) to date of 25.2%, the toxic nature of lead and poor stability are th...

Improving Two-Step Prepared CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells by Co-Doping Potassium Halide and Water in PbI2 Layer.

Incorporating additives into organic halide perovskite solar cells is the typical approach to improve power conversion efficiency. In this paper, a methyl-ammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3, MAPbI3) organic perovskite film was fabricated using a two-step sequential process on top of the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) hole-transporting layer. Experimentally, water and potassium halides (KCl, KBr, and KI) were incorporated into the PbI2 precursor solution. With only 2 vol% water, the cell efficiency was effectively improved. Without water, the addition of all of the three potassium halides unanimously degraded the performance of the solar cells, although the crystallinity was improved. Co-doping with KI and water showed a pronounced improvement in crystallinity and the elimination of carrier traps, yielding a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.9%, which was approximately 60% higher than the pristine reference cell. The effect of metal halide and water co-doping in the PbI2 layer on the performance of organic perovskite solar cells was studied. Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies indicated that a PbI2-dimethylformamide-water related adduct was formed upon co-doping. Photoluminescence enhancement was observed due to the co-doping of KI and water, indicating the defect density was reduced. Finally, the co-doping process was recommended for developing high-performance organic halide perovskite solar cells.

Sulfur-fused perylene diimide electron transport layers allow >400 h operational lifetime of methylammonium lead iodide photovoltaics

The lifetime of hybrid organic perovskite solar cells under 1 sun illumination can be extended using electron transport layers made with fused perylene diimide acceptors with disulfide moieties.

High-efficiency and stable piezo-phototronic organic perovskite solar cell.

Perovskite materials are regarded as next-generation organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. Recent theoretical and experimental advances also revealed the piezoelectric properties of CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite thin films. In this work, a CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite piezo-phototronic solar cell is studied in theory. The output parameters such as open circuit voltage, current–voltage characteristics, fill factor, power conversion efficiency, and maximum output power with external strains are presented. The coefficient to characterize piezo-phototronic modulation is also calculated for the piezo-phototronic solar cell. With the change of strain, the output performance can be controlled and enhanced. This principle can offer not only a novel and unique approach to produce high-performance, stable perovskite solar cells, but also a principle to design new piezoelectric perovskite optoelectronic devices.