All-Inorganic p-n Heterojunction Solar Cells by Solution Combustion Synthesis Using N-type FeMnO₃ Perovskite...

This study outlines the synthesis and physicochemical characteristics of a solution-processable iron manganite (FeMnO₃) nanoparticles via a chemical combustion method using tartaric acid as a fuel whilst demonstrating the performance of this material as a n-type photoactive layer in all-oxide solar cells. It is shown that the solution combustion synthesis (SCS) method enables the formation of pure crystal phase FeMnO₃ with controllable particle size. XRD pattern and morphology images from TEM confirm the purity of FeMnO₃ phase and the relatively small crystallite size (∼13 nm), firstly reported in the literature. Moreover, to assemble a network of connected FeMnO₃ nanoparticles, β-alanine was used as a capping agent and dimethylformamide (DMF) as a polar aprotic solvent for the colloidal dispersion of FeMnO₃ NPs. This procedure yields a ∼500 nm thick FeMnO₃ n-type photoactive layer. The proposed method is crucial to obtain functional solution processed NiO/FeMnO₃ heterojunction inorganic photovoltaics. Photovoltaic performance and solar cell device limitations of the NiO/FeMnO₃-based heterojunction solar cells are presented.