Towards High Performance: Solution-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells with Cu-Doped CH₃NH₃PbI₃

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) show great potential for efficient energy conversion.
• Copper (Cu) is theoretically proposed as an effective dopant for perovskite materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of copper iodide (CuI) doping on the performance of MAPbI3-based PSCs.
• To determine the optimal Cu doping concentration for enhanced device efficiency and stability.

Main Methods:

• Experimental addition of CuI to MAPbI3 perovskite precursor solutions.
• Characterization of perovskite film morphology, crystalline quality, and optoelectronic properties.
• Fabrication and performance testing of Cu-doped and pristine PSC devices.

Main Results:

• Optimized Cu doping (0.01 M) improved crystalline quality, grain size, light absorption, and carrier extraction.
• Power conversion efficiency (PCE) increased from 16.3% to 18.2% in optimized Cu-doped PSCs.
• Excessive Cu doping (0.1 M) led to morphological degradation and reduced device performance.
• Cu-doped PSCs demonstrated higher stabilized power output (SPO) compared to undoped devices.

Conclusions:

• Copper doping is a viable strategy to enhance the performance of perovskite solar cells.
• Careful optimization of Cu doping concentration is crucial for maximizing device efficiency and stability.