Moderate temperature deposition of RF magnetron sputtered SnO

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Thin Film Technology

Background:

• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) face challenges in stability and scalability for commercialization.
• Developing uniform, efficient, and cost-effective electron transport layers (ETLs) is crucial for stable PSCs.
• Magnetron sputtering offers high-quality, large-area thin film deposition suitable for industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the properties of moderate temperature radio frequency (RF) sputtered tin oxide (SnO2) as an ETL for PSCs.
• To assess the impact of reactive RF magnetron sputtering on SnO2 thin film quality and stability.
• To evaluate the performance and operational lifetime of PSC devices utilizing the developed SnO2 ETL.

Main Methods:

• Reactive RF magnetron sputtering using Argon (Ar) and Oxygen (O2) as plasma and reactive gases.
• Characterization of SnO2 thin films for composition, structure, chemical state, and electronic properties.
• Fabrication and testing of PSC devices with sputtered SnO2 ETLs.

Main Results:

• High-quality, stable SnO2 thin films with excellent transport properties were successfully grown.
• PSC devices incorporating the sputtered SnO2 ETL achieved a power conversion efficiency of up to 17.10%.
• The devices demonstrated an average operational lifetime exceeding 200 hours.

Conclusions:

• Reactive RF magnetron sputtering is a viable method for producing high-performance SnO2 ETLs for PSCs.
• The developed SnO2 thin films offer improved stability and efficiency, addressing key challenges in PSC technology.
• These findings indicate the potential of sputtered SnO2 ETLs for large-scale photovoltaic modules and advanced optoelectronic devices.