Quantifying Infiltration for Quality Control in Printed Mesoscopic Perovskite Solar Cells: A Microscopic Perspective

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Carbon-based perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) show promise for commercialization.
• Perovskite infiltration into the mesoporous scaffold is crucial for device performance and stability.
• Current methods for assessing infiltration are often qualitative and lack precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of minor infiltration defects on CPSCs performance.
• To develop a quantitative method for assessing infiltration using optical microscopy.
• To enhance perovskite infiltration and device efficiency through targeted defect reduction.

Main Methods:

• Utilized optical microscopy to examine the base TiO2 layer for infiltration defects.
• Correlated uninfiltrated areas with power conversion efficiency (PCE) across multiple fabrication batches.
• Implemented defect reduction strategies in ZrO2 and carbon layers to improve infiltration.

Main Results:

• A strong correlation was found between the uninfiltrated area at the base of the stack and PCE.
• Identified and addressed mesh mark defects and print quality issues in subsequent layers.
• Achieved a champion PCE of 15.01% after implementing targeted infiltration enhancements.

Conclusions:

• Facile, multiscaled, and nondestructive optical microscopy can identify critical infiltration defects.
• Targeted improvements in fabrication quality enhance perovskite infiltration and device performance.
• This technique offers a pathway for quality control and performance optimization in scaled-up CPSC production.