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Deposition and characterization of CuI thin film as hole transporting layer for perovskite solar cells

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Abstract

Inorganic CuI thin films were grown using e-beam evaporation to substitute expensive organic hole transporting layer (HTL) material used in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). CuI powder was e-beam evaporated at 25 W for 5 and 10 min to yield 100 nm film on glass substrate and 200 nm film on perovskite layer, respectively. X-ray diffraction pattern of CuI thin film showed a single peak at 26.04°, corresponding to (111) plane of crystalline gamma (γ) phase. Scanning electron microscopy imaging revealed the nanostructured thin film. A bandgap of 3.1 eV was calculated by absorption curves of CuI thin film. The deposited CuI thin film on glass substrate showed a transmittance of 75% in the visible region. X-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy data revealed that the films were slightly Cu deficient and p-type nature, respectively. PSC with a device architecture of glass/ITO/c-TiO2/m-TiO2/CH3NH3SnI3/CuI/Au was fabricated. CuI thin film is a promising alternative HTL for organic material in the improvement of PSCs.

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Acknowledgements

Jagadeesh Babu Bellam and V K Verma admit the financial support by DST under Science and Engineering Research Board ECRA Projects ECR/2017/000633 and ECR/2016/001741, respectively. We also thank the Department of Chemistry, MITS, Madanapalle, for providing UV-visible spectroscopy. Optical profilometer and four-probe measurements were performed at CeNSE, IISc, Bangalore. XPS and UPS measurements were supported by Dr R J Choudhary, DAE, RRCAT, Indore and Mr Sharad Karwal, Junior Engineer, UGC-DAE CSR, Indore.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science, Angallu, 517325, India

    Jagadeesh Babu Bellam, Bhargavi M, D Saha, Chandra Sekhar M & V K Verma

  2. Indian Institute of Technology, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, 517619, India

    Charan Kuchi

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  1. Jagadeesh Babu Bellam
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  2. Bhargavi M
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  3. Charan Kuchi
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  4. D Saha
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Correspondence to Jagadeesh Babu Bellam.

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Bellam, J.B., M, B., Kuchi, C. et al. Deposition and characterization of CuI thin film as hole transporting layer for perovskite solar cells. Bull Mater Sci 45, 249 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-022-02831-0

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