Metal Oxide Compact Electron Transport Layer Modification for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have appeared as a promising design for next-generation thin-film photovoltaics because of their cost-efficient fabrication processes and excellent optoelectronic properties. However, PSCs containing a metal oxide compact layer (CL) suffer from poor long-term stability and performance. The quality of the underlying substrate strongly influences the growth of the perovskite layer. In turn, the perovskite film quality directly affects the efficiency and stability of the resultant PSCs. Thus, substrate modification with metal oxide CLs to produce highly efficient and stable PSCs has drawn attention. In this review, metal oxide-based electron transport layers (ETLs) used in PSCs and their systemic modification are reviewed. The roles of ETLs in the design and fabrication of efficient and stable PSCs are also discussed. This review will guide the further development of perovskite films with larger grains, higher crystallinity, and more homogeneous morphology, which correlate to higher stable PSC performance. The challenges and future research directions for PSCs containing compact ETLs are also described with the goal of improving their sustainability to reach new heights of clean energy production.

Low-Temperature Processed TiOx Electron Transport Layer for Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells

“…Solid-state organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been one of the most significant discoveries in the field of photovoltaics because of their advantages, including a low-cost device fabrication process, desirable energy harvesting characteristics, light weight, and flexibility [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. The first report of PSCs with a power conversation efficiency (PCE) of 3.8% was by Miyasaka et al in 2009 [ 5 ].…”

Inorganic Electron Transport Materials in Perovskite Solar Cells

“…[ 66 ] CBD is another scalable technique to prepare TiO 2 film, however, it is difficult to control the thickness of the film which makes the reproducibility poor. [ 67 ]…”

Advances in design engineering and merits of electron transporting layers in perovskite solar cells

“…Moreover, it also suffers from low conductivity and carrier accumulation owing to its numerous trap states. 96,97 SnO 2 has been regarded as a good ETL material with its advantages including low chemical reactivity and photocatalytic activity, 98 a wider band gap of B3.8 eV, 99 a higher mobility 100,101 and a deeper conduction band (À4.3 eV) 102 than those of TiO 2 , which in principle should facilitate more efficient electron transfer from the perovskite. However, most of the devices based on low-temperature solution-processed SnO 2 were reported to suffer from serious photocurrent hysteresis which makes it difficult to determine their real PCEs.…”