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Low-temperature processed planar perovskite solar cells based on bilayer electron transport layer stabilized using a surface defect passivation strategy

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Abstract

Tin oxide (SnO2) and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) have been recognized as promising materials for the electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to their favorable optoelectronic properties and low-temperature deposition processes. However, high surface trap density at the ETL/perovskite interface limits the further improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of planar PSCs. Herein, we have demonstrated a simple surface treatment of low-temperature deposited SnO2/AZO–ETL through mono-ethanolamine (MEA) to passivate the defects at the AZO/perovskite interface and reduce carrier recombination. Meanwhile, after MEA modification, the defect states at the AZO/perovskite interface were reduced, and the carrier transport capability was improved. PSC based on MEA modification showed an enhanced PCE of 15.73%, compared to 12.66% without MEA treatment, and a fill factor (FF) of 68.30% on a 0.25 cm2 active area. Furthermore, the MEA-passivated device exhibits excellent stability and retains ~ 77% of its initial PCE after 1000 h under ambient storage without encapsulation. Thus, interface engineering based on the mono-ethanolamine passivation provides a feasible and novel strategy to improve the quality of ETL to fabricate high-efficiency planar PSCs.

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Acknowledgements

Naba K. Rana and Nikhil Chander would like to acknowledge financial support through the project DST/ETC/CASE/RES/2023/04 (C) awarded by the Department of Science and Technology (Technology Mission Division), Government of India under the Solar Challenge Award Scheme in collaboration with Prof. Vamsi K. Komarala (Department of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT Delhi). The authors would like to thank Dr. Sanjib Banerjee, Mr. Bhanendra Sahu, Dr. Satyajit Gupta, and Mr. Deepak Aloysius of the Department of Chemistry, IIT Bhilai, for providing access to FTIR, PL, and TRPL instruments facilities.

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  1. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, Durg, Chhattisgarh, 491001, India

    Naba Kumar Rana & Dhruv Pratap Singh

  2. School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China

    Manas R. Samantaray

  3. Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, Durg, Chhattisgarh, 491001, India

    Nikhil Chander

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NKR: writing—original draft, visualization, experimentation, validation, resources, investigation, formal analysis, and data curation. MRS: review and editing. DPS: review, editing, supervision, investigation. NC: review, editing, supervision, project administration, methodology, funding acquisition, conceptualization, formal analysis, and investigation.

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Rana, N.K., Samantaray, M.R., Singh, D.P. et al. Low-temperature processed planar perovskite solar cells based on bilayer electron transport layer stabilized using a surface defect passivation strategy. Appl. Phys. A 130, 82 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-023-07243-3

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