Alumina nanoparticle buffer-layer for lead-tin perovskite solar cells
Heon Jin a, Henry Snaith a
a Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
Materials for Sustainable Development Conference (MATSUS)
Proceedings of MATSUS Fall 2023 Conference (MATSUSFall23)
#MHPN3 - Fundamental Advances in Metal Halide Perovskites and Beyond: new materials, new mechanisms, and new challenges
Torremolinos, Spain, 2023 October 16th - 20th
Organizers: Paola Vivo, Qiong Wang and Kaifeng Wu
Oral, Heon Jin, presentation 104
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.matsus.2023.104
Publication date: 18th July 2023

Mixed lead-tin (Pb:Sn) halide perovskites are promising absorbers with narrow bandgaps (1.2-1.3 eV) suitable for high-efficiency all-perovskite tandem solar cells. Currently, the highest efficiency Pb:Sn perovskite solar cells (PSCs) employ methylammonium (MA) as an A-site cation. However, MA is known to be thermally and chemically less stable than formamidinium (FA), therefore it would be favourable to have an MA-free Pb:Sn PSCs that could also deliver high efficiency. Additionally, the solution processing of thick Pb:Sn perovskite films is notoriously difficult in comparison with their neat-Pb counterparts. This is partly due to the rapid crystallization of Sn-based perovskites, resulting in films that have a high degree of roughness. It is more difficult to coat conformal subsequent layers using solution-based techniques on top of rougher films, leading to contact between the absorber and the top metal electrode in completed devices, resulting in a loss of VOC, fill factor, efficiency and stability. Here, we investigate the impact of adding a non-continuous thin layer of alumina nanoparticles inserted in between the thick, rough Pb:Sn perovskite films and the electron transport layers (ETL) in a 'p-i-n' device configuration. This approach leads to enhanced conformality of the subsequent ETL. As a result, devices that employ the thin alumina nanoparticles layer achieved a champion maximum power point tracked efficiency of 15.0% versus 10.3% for the champion control device and the steady-state open-circuit voltage was improved from 0.65 V to 0.75 V. Application of the alumina nanoparticles as an interfacial buffer layer also results in highly reproducible Pb:Sn solar cell devices whilst simultaneously improving device stability at 65 °C under 1 sun illumination. Aged devices showed a 6‑fold improvement in stability over pristine Pb:Sn devices, increasing their lifetime to 120 hours.

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