Dipolar Chemical Bridge Induced CsPbI₃ Perovskite Solar Cells with 21.86 % Efficiency

CsPbI₃ perovskite receives tremendous attention for photovoltaic applications due to its ideal band gap and good thermal stability. However, CsPbI₃ perovskite solar cells (PSCs) significantly suffer from photovoltage deficits because of serious interfacial energy losses within the PSCs, which to a large extent affects the photovoltaic performance of PSCs. Herein, a dipolar chemical bridge (DCB) is constructed between the perovskite and TiO₂ layers to lower interfacial energy losses and thus improve the charge extraction of PSCs. The results reveal that the DCB could form a beneficial interfacial dipole between the perovskite and TiO₂ layers, which could optimize the interfacial energetics of perovskite/TiO₂ layers and thus improve the energy level alignment within the PSCs. Meanwhile, the constructed DCB could also simultaneously passivate the surface defects of perovskite and TiO₂ layers, greatly lowering interfacial recombination. Consequently, the photovoltage deficit of CsPbI₃ PSCs is largely reduced, leading to a record efficiency of 21.86 % being realized. Meanwhile, the operation stability of PSCs is also largely improved due to the high-quality perovskite films with released interfacial tensile strain being obtained after forming the DCB within the PSCs.