Ferroelectricity in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite solar cells

Tobias Leonhard^a^,^b, Holger Röhm^a^,^b, Alexander Schulz^a^,^b, Susanne Wagner^c, Michael J. Hoffmann^c, Alexander Colsmann^a^,^b

^aLight Technology Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany

^bMaterial Research Center for Energy Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany

^cInstitute for Applied Materials – Ceramic Materials and Technologies, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany

Materials for Sustainable Development Conference (MATSUS)
Proceedings of nanoGe Fall Meeting19 (NFM19)

#MapNan19. Mapping Nanoscale Functionality with Scanning Probe Microscopy

Berlin, Germany, 2019 November 3rd - 8th

Organizer: Stefan Weber

Oral, Tobias Leonhard, presentation 308
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.nfm.2019.308
Publication date: 18th July 2019

Among the emerging photovoltaic technologies, perovskite solar cells stand out with remarkable power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and low-cost solution processability, rivaling established technologies. Currently, the scientific community controversially discusses the importance of the ferroic properties for the exceptional performance of MAPbI3 light-harvesting layers.

In this work, we performed a comprehensive AFM study including Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM). On large flat crystals, we find 90 nm wide ferroelectric domains of alternating in-plane polarization. Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) mapping allowed for the spatially resolved correlation of the ferroelectric patterns and the crystal orientation within the MAPbI3 thin-films. Electrical simulations provide insight into the working principle of ferroelectric MAPbI3 solar cells. Poling experiments elucidate the impact of the ferroelectric microstructure on macroscopic device properties.

Altogether, these investigations provide micro-structural target properties for MAPbI3 thin-film deposition and outline pathways forward for more efficient, eco-friendly and lead-free perovskite solar cells.

References:

[1] Röhm, H.; Leonhard, T.; Schulz, A. D.; Wagner, S.; Hoffmann, M. J.; Colsmann, A. Ferroelectric Properties of Perovskite Thin Films and Their Implications for Solar Energy Conversion. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1806661.

[2] Leonhard, T.; Schulz, A. D.; Röhm, H.; Wagner, S.; Altermann, F. J.; Rheinheimer, W.; Hoffmann, M. J.; Colsmann, A. Probing the Microstructure of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Solar Cells. Energy Technol. 2019, 7, 1800989.

[3] Röhm H.; Leonhard T.; Hoffmann M. J.; Colsmann A. Ferroelectric domains in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite thin-films. Energy Environ. Sci., 2017,10, 950-955

nanoGe is a prestigious brand of successful science conferences that are developed along the year in different areas of the world since 2009. Our worldwide conferences cover cutting-edge materials topics like perovskite solar cells, photovoltaics, optoelectronics, solar fuel conversion, surface science, catalysis and two-dimensional materials, among many others.

MATSUS

Previously nanoGe Spring Meeting (NSM) and nanoGe Fall Meeting (NFM), MATSUS is a multiple symposia conference focused on a broad set of topics of advanced materials preparation, their fundamental properties, and their applications, in fields such as renewable energy, photovoltaics, lighting, semiconductor quantum dots, 2-D materials synthesis, charge carriers dynamics, microscopy and spectroscopy semiconductors fundamentals, etc.

International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics

International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics (HOPV) is celebrated yearly in May. The main topics are the development, function and modeling of materials and devices for hybrid and organic solar cells. The field is now dominated by perovskite solar cells but also other hybrid technologies, as organic solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells and their integration into devices for photoelectrochemical solar fuel production.

Asia-Pacific International Conference on Perovskite, Organic Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics

The main topics of the Asia-Pacific International Conference on Perovskite, Organic Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics (IPEROP) are discussed every year in Asia-Pacific for gathering the recent advances in the fields of material preparation, modeling and fabrication of perovskite and hybrid and organic materials. Photovoltaic devices are analyzed from fundamental physics and materials properties to a broad set of applications. The conference also covers the developments of perovskite optoelectronics, including light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical devices, nanophotonics, nonlinear optical properties, colloidal nanostructures, photophysics and light-matter coupling.

International Conference on Perovskite Thin Film Photovoltaics Perovskite Photonics and Optoelectronics

The International Conference on Perovskite Thin Film Photovoltaics Perovskite Photonics and Optoelectronics (NIPHO) is the best place to hear the latest developments in perovskite solar cells as well as on recent advances in the fields of perovskite light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical devices, nanophotonics, nonlinear optical properties, colloidal nanostructures, photophysics and light-matter coupling.