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Inorganic Surface Engineering to Enhance Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency
Naemeh Aeineh1,2, Eva M Barea1, Abbas Behjat2
1Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM), Universitat Jaume I , Castelló 12006, Spain.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|March 30, 2017
Summary
Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) boost perovskite solar cell (PSC) efficiency by improving interfaces, not plasmonics. This study introduces inorganic surface engineering for more stable and efficient PSCs.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising renewable energy devices.
- Interface engineering is crucial for enhancing PSC performance and stability.
- Current interface modification often relies on organic compounds, which can be less stable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of inorganic core/shell gold@silica (Au@SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) on the efficiency of PSCs.
- To understand the mechanism behind the efficiency enhancement, distinguishing between plasmonic effects and interfacial property modification.
- To explore the potential of inorganic compounds for PSC interface engineering.
Main Methods:
- Deposition of Au@SiO2 NPs at the interface between compact and mesoporous TiO2 electron-selective contacts in PSCs.
- Characterization of PSC performance using external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements.
- Analysis of interfacial properties using photoluminescence (PL), impedance spectroscopy (IS), and open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) techniques.
Main Results:
- Au@SiO2 NPs enhanced PSCs' external quantum efficiency across the entire perovskite absorption spectrum.
- The efficiency enhancement was not limited to the plasmonic absorption peak of the NPs, ruling out direct plasmonic enhancement.
- Characterization revealed modified interfacial properties, including an augmented interfacial electrostatic potential, leading to increased photovoltage and photocurrent.
Conclusions:
- Inorganic Au@SiO2 NPs significantly enhance PSC performance by modifying interfacial properties, not through direct plasmonic effects.
- The study demonstrates the effectiveness of inorganic compounds for surface engineering in PSCs, offering a more stable alternative to organic modifiers.
- This work highlights the critical role of interfaces in PSC performance and opens new avenues for developing robust and efficient inorganic interface modification strategies.
