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Low-temperature processable Sn-doped ZnO films as electron transporting layers for perovskite solar cells

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Abstract

Charge-transporting processable layers at a low temperature is a challenge for fabricating novel, highly stable and flexible optoelectronic devices. In fact, the crystallization of metal oxide usually needs to be processed under a high-temperature to obtain excellent semiconducting properties. In this work, Sn-doped ZnO (TZO) thin films, as electron transporting layers (ETLs) in perovskite solar cells, were prepared via sol–gel method at a temperature of less than 180 °C. The effects of annealing temperature on the properties of TZO thin films were investigated. It was found that the electrical properties of the TZO films were improved with increasing annealing temperature. In addition, an elemental composition analysis revealed that a temperature of only 140 °C sufficed for converting the precursor gel film into TZO film. The perovskite solar cell, which utilized a low-temperature TZO thin film, yielded a better power conversion efficiency than one with high-temperature ETLs (180 °C). These results imply that discovering low-temperature ETL processing for sol–gel enables good-quality metal oxide ETL, which can also be used in flexible solar cell applications.

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Acknowledgements

This research work was partially supported by Chiang Mai University. The authors also thank the Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talents Project (DPST), Thailand, for partial financial support under the Research Fund for DPST Graduate with First Placement No. 25/2557.

Funding

This research was financially supported by the Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talents Project (DPST), Thailand (the Research Fund for DPST Graduate with First Placement No. 25/2557) and Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Saowalak Homnan, Pakawat Malison, Duangmanee Wongratanaphisan & Pipat Ruankham

  2. School of Materials Science and Innovation, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand

    Koth Amratisha & Pongsakorn Kanjanaboos

  3. Research Center in Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Duangmanee Wongratanaphisan & Pipat Ruankham

  4. Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Takashi Sagawa

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  1. Saowalak Homnan
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Contributions

Conceptualization: TS, PR; Methodology: SH, PM; Formal analysis and investigation: SH, PM, PR; Writing—original draft preparation: SH, PR; Writing—review and editing: KA, PK, DW, TS; Funding acquisition: PR; Resources: PR, DW; Supervision: PR.

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Correspondence to Pipat Ruankham.

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Homnan, S., Malison, P., Amratisha, K. et al. Low-temperature processable Sn-doped ZnO films as electron transporting layers for perovskite solar cells. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 32, 27279–27289 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-07097-6

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