X-ray fluorescence at nanoscale resolution for multicomponent layered structures: a solar cell case study

West, Bradley; Stückelberger, Michael; Jeffries, April; Gangam, Srikanth; Lai, Barry; Stripe, Benjamin; Mäser, J.; Rose, Volker; Vogt, Stefan; Bertoni, Mariana I.

doi:10.1107/s1600577516015721

Cited by 29 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…[79,80] At first, as described in the review of the synchrotron applications, [79] the first-generation synchrotrons were originally designed as particle accelerators for the physics community and for the study of the properties of matter. [79,80] At first, as described in the review of the synchrotron applications, [79] the first-generation synchrotrons were originally designed as particle accelerators for the physics community and for the study of the properties of matter.…”

Section: Synchrotron-based Mapping Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[79,80] Brilliance is defined as the brightness per source of area, where advances in this field and in focusing optics have allowed for a spatial resolution to about 50 nm. [79,80] Brilliance is defined as the brightness per source of area, where advances in this field and in focusing optics have allowed for a spatial resolution to about 50 nm.…”

Section: Synchrotron-based Mapping Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[81] The two major developments of these techniques, according to West et al, [80] are the possibility to use lens-less imaging methods, [80,82] and the high-resolution in optics, enabling X-ray spot sizes down to 11 nm in nanoprobe beamlines. Likewise, synchrotron measurements have a large penetration depth of several micrometers.…”

Section: Synchrotron-based Mapping Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specifically, synchrotron-based XRF uses X-rays with 10 ppm sensitivity at a spatial resolution of 1 µm, [87] bulk penetration, while reducing the risk of sample damage or degradation. [80,88] These photons have a characteristic energy based on the element that was excited, therefore, it is the signal measured by the detector in the XRF instrument that will determine the constituent elements. [80] This way, a blast of energy is released which will be characteristic of a specific element.…”

Section: Micro-and Nano-x-ray Fluorescence (Xrf)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this method, core-level electrons are excited by exposing them to a high-energy X-ray source, displacing them from their atomic orbital positions due to a difference between the incident photon energy with the electron's binding energy. [80] Figure 10 shows the fundamentals of this technique and the set-up in a third-generation synchrotron facility. At the same time, when these electrons leave their orbit, they leave vacancies which are then occupied by electrons from a higher shell and in the process, they release a fluorescent photon.…”

Section: Micro-and Nano-x-ray Fluorescence (Xrf)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Imaging and Mapping Characterization Tools for Perovskite Solar Cells

Hidalgo

Castro‐Méndez

Correa‐Baena

2019

Advanced Energy Materials

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define the perovskite structure, decreases below 0.8 and orthorhombic, rhombohedral, or tetragonal structures tend to form. For large A-cations, layered 2D [3] and 1D [4] chain structures can be formed, e.g., Ruddlesden-Popper, Aurivillius, and Dion-Jacobson phases. Both 3D and 2D perovskites have gained the attention of the solar cell community.Lead halide perovskites are outstanding semiconductors with impressive optoelectronic properties, such as high absorption coefficient, tunable band gap, and long charge carrier lifetimes. Despite having such impressive properties, there is still a need for deeper understanding of the degradation mechanisms of the perovskite materials in order to make PSCs viable for outdoor applications and commercialization. [5,6] Currently, a major challenge facing perovskites is their long-term stability, due to their sensitivity to temperature, moisture, oxygen, and ultraviolet (UV) light. [6] Furthermore, chemical and electronic stability, compositional, and crystal homogeneity in the absorber layer of PSCs are parameters that allow us to understand and ensure the maximum PCE and long-term durability of the devices.Imaging and mapping characterization techniques allow researchers to obtain insights of the nano-and microscale features related to their chemical and electronic properties, which in turn limit PSC performance and long-term durability. This review will focus on the progress of the imaging and mapping techniques that have been used understanding and designing perovskite materials. This comprehensive review will span from basic morphology characterization methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to advanced, synchrotron-based characterization using X-ray microscopy, such as X-ray fluorescence for compositional mapping, and X-ray beam induced current (XBIC) for electric performance mapping. Different imaging and mapping tools allow for correlations of different physical, chemical, optical and electrical features in space and time. These characterization techniques have helped explain phenomena that govern perovskite materials, including chemical and electrical properties and how they relate to solar cell performance. The following table summarizes the different imaging and mapping characterization techniques and their use for PSCs research.Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted much attention as efficiencies have gone beyond 24%. To achieve these impressive numbers, the PSC scientific community is working to improve the perovskite optoelectronic properties. Imaging and mapping characterization techniques have been widely used to understand the fundamental properties that allow lead halide perovskites to achieve high performance. In this review, these techniques are evaluated, from simple tools, such as electron microscopy, to more complex systems that include atomic force microscopy, synchrotron-based X-ray mapping, and ultrafast and photoluminescence mapping. These tools have helped understand lead halide perovskites and their impressive optoelectronic prope...

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Section: Synchrotron-based Mapping Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Synchrotron-based Mapping Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Synchrotron-based Mapping Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Micro-and Nano-x-ray Fluorescence (Xrf)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Micro-and Nano-x-ray Fluorescence (Xrf)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Imaging and Mapping Characterization Tools for Perovskite Solar Cells

Hidalgo

Castro‐Méndez

Correa‐Baena

2019

Advanced Energy Materials

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The Relationship between Chemical Flexibility and Nanoscale Charge Collection in Hybrid Halide Perovskites

Luo

Aharon

Stückelberger

et al. 2018

Adv Funct Materials

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Hybrid organometal halide perovskites are known for their excellent optoelectronic functionality as well as their wide-ranging chemical flexibility. The composition of hybrid perovskite devices has trended toward increasing complexity as fine-tuned properties are pursued, including multielement mixing on the constituents A and B and halide sites. However, this tunability presents potential challenges for charge extraction in functional devices. Poor consistency and repeatability between devices may arise due to variations in composition and microstructure. Within a single device, spatial heterogeneity in composition and phase segregation may limit the device from achieving its performance potential. This review details how the nanoscale elemental distribution and charge collection in hybrid perovskite materials evolve as chemical complexity increases, highlighting recent results using nondestructive operando synchrotron-based X-ray nanoprobe techniques. The results reveal a strong link between local chemistry and charge collection that must be controlled to develop robust, high-performance hybrid perovskite materials for optoelectronic devices.applications including solar cells, [1,2] lightemitting diodes, [3] lasers, [4] and photodetectors. [5] The exceptional minority carrier diffusion lengths in these materials [6,7] lead to nearly 100% internal quantum efficiency [8] which results in high charge-carrier collection efficiency and high external luminescence efficiency in electron-photon conversion devices. [9] Particularly in the field of photovoltaics (PV), their extraordinary material properties [10][11][12] have enabled perovskite solar absorbers to achieve large improvements in device performance in the past 8 years. The perovskite crystal structure is shown in Figure 1a, where the A-site is CH 3 NH 3 + (MA, methylammonium), the B-site is Pb 2+ , and the X-site is I − following the general perovskite formula ABX 3. After demonstration of a device with 3.8% power conversion efficiency (PCE) by Miyasaka and co-workers in a dye-sensitized solar cell architecture using CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 , [13] a breakthrough in perovskite photovoltaics occurred in 2012 when the first allsolid-state hybrid perovskite devices were shown by Kim et al., [14] improving the chemical stability of the perovskite and enabling device performance to exceed beyond 9% using CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskites. With intense investigation of perovskite material properties from research groups all over the world, including bandgap engineering by halide mixing [15,16] and device optimization using A-site mixing, [9,17] the record PCE of hybrid perovskite solar cells reached 22.7% in 2017 after achieving 22.1% PCE in 2015 [18] using a mixture of formamidinium lead iodide (CH(NH 2 ) 2 PbI 3 ) with 5% loading of methylammonium lead bromide (CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 ) chemistry. [19,20] Surpassing 22% PCE by leveraging the chemical flexibility of the perovskite structure brought hybrid perovskite solar cells on par in efficiency with most polycrystalline solar absor...

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X‐Ray Microscopy of Halide Perovskites: Techniques, Applications, and Prospects

Kodur

Kumar

Luo

et al. 2020

Advanced Energy Materials

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X-ray microscopy can provide unique chemical, electronic, and structural insights into perovskite materials and devices leveraging bright, tunable synchrotron X-ray sources. Over the last decade, fundamental understanding of halide perovskites and their impressive performance in optoelectronic devices has been furthered by rigorous research regarding their structural and chemical properties. Herein, studies of perovskites are reviewed that have used X-ray imaging, spectroscopy, and scattering microscopies that have proven valuable tools toward understanding the role of defects, impurities, and processing on perovskite material properties and device performance. Together these microscopic investigations have augmented our understanding of the This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. 2 internal workings of perovskites and help steer the perovskite community toward promising directions. In many ways, X-ray microscopy of perovskites is still in its infancy, which leaves many exciting paths unexplored including new super-resolution, multimodal, in situ, and operando experiments. To explore possibilities, pioneering X-ray microscopy along these lines is briefly highlighted from other semiconductor systems including silicon, CdTe, GaAs, CuIn x Ga 1-x Se 2 , and organic photovoltaics. An overview is provided on the progress made in utilizing X-ray microscopy for perovskites and present opportunities and challenges for future work.

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X-ray fluorescence at nanoscale resolution for multicomponent layered structures: a solar cell case study

Cited by 29 publications

References 35 publications

Imaging and Mapping Characterization Tools for Perovskite Solar Cells

Imaging and Mapping Characterization Tools for Perovskite Solar Cells

The Relationship between Chemical Flexibility and Nanoscale Charge Collection in Hybrid Halide Perovskites

X‐Ray Microscopy of Halide Perovskites: Techniques, Applications, and Prospects

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