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Structural Features and Optical Properties of CH3NH3Pb(1−x)SnxCl3 Thin-Film Perovskites for Photovoltaic Applications

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Abstract

In alkyl ammonium lead halide based perovskites, the replacement of toxic Pb+2 with a suitable nontoxic divalent metal cation without losing the photovoltaic performance is one of the prime challenges to the researchers. The understanding of the effect of replacing Pb+2 on the structural and optical properties of alkyl ammonium lead halide based perovskites, and thereafter correlating their photovoltaic performances, comprise a fundamental study which is important towards developing efficient and non-toxic solar cells. In the present work, we used a wet chemical process to substitute Pb+2 with Sn+2 in different proportions into CH3NH3PbxSn(1−x)Cl3. The value of the Goldschmidt tolerance factor, which is a measure of structural stability of the perovskite lattice, was estimated theoretically. The theoretical calculations were correlated further with the experimentally obtained x-ray diffraction patterns of the original and substituted perovskites. The optical properties of CH3NH3Pb(1−x)SnxCl3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) perovskite thin-films were investigated by the ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy. The bandgap energy (Eg) for CH3NH3Pb(1−x)SnxCl3(0 ≤ x ≤ 1) were estimated from the optical absorption spectra. The Urbach energy (EU) which predicts defects, disorder and crystalline imperfections within semiconducting thin-films were estimated for the prepared perovskite thin films. The steepness parameter which apprises about strength of electron–phonon (Ee–p) interaction within perovskites were also estimated from the optical absorbance spectra to understand the effect of replacing Pb+2 with Sn+2. In addition, the variations in the surface morphologies of the prepared perovskites were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The I–V characteristics of the different cells were analysed and, finally, we attempted to correlate their photovoltaic performances with the opto-structural properties.

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Funding

This work was supported by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) Grants funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST) Central, Government of India through Teachers Associateship for Research Excellence (TAR/2018/000195) [S. Roy] and University Grants Commission (UGC), India (F1-17.1/2014-15/MANF-2014-15-MUS-WES-47983) [S. A. Moyez].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Calcutta, 92 A. P. C. Road, Kolkata, 700009, India

    Sk Abdul Moyez, Soumyajit Maitra, Abhinanda Sengupta & Subhasis Roy

  2. Department of Science, School of Technology, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382007, India

    Kalisadhan Mukherjee

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  1. Sk Abdul Moyez
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  2. Soumyajit Maitra
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Correspondence to Subhasis Roy.

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Moyez, S.A., Maitra, S., Mukherjee, K. et al. Structural Features and Optical Properties of CH3NH3Pb(1−x)SnxCl3 Thin-Film Perovskites for Photovoltaic Applications. J. Electron. Mater. 49, 7133–7143 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-020-08529-5

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