Hyomin Ko

Decoupling Charge Transfer and Transport at Polymeric Hole Transport Layer in Perovskite Solar Cells

Tailoring charge extraction interfaces in perovskite solar cells (PeSCs) critically determines the photovoltaic performance of PeSCs. Here, we investigated the decoupling of two major determinants of the efficient charge extraction, the charge transport and interfacial charge transfer properties at hole transport layers (HTLs). A simple physical tuning of a representative polymeric HTL, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate), provided a wide range of charge conductivities from 10(-4) to 10(3) S cm(-1) without significant modulations in their energy levels, thereby enabling the decoupling of charge transport and transfer properties at HTLs. The transient photovoltaic response measurement revealed that the facilitation of hole transport through the highly conductive HTL promoted the elongation of charge carrier lifetimes within the PeSCs up to 3 times, leading to enhanced photocurrent extraction and finally 25% higher power conversion efficiency.

Critical factors governing vertical phase separation in polymer–PCBM blend films for organic solar cells

In organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells, the vertical distribution of the composition of the active layers as well as the lateral morphology is one of the critical issues that can significantly affect charge transport and recombination characteristics. Here we studied the critical parameters that can affect the formation of vertically stratified bulk heterojunction organic solar cells based on various polymers with different side chains, and investigated the effect of the miscibility of the polymer–fullerene blend and the crystallinity of the polymer on vertical morphology. The major factor that affected the vertical phase separation was the interaction parameter χ between the polymer and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Polymer–PCBM blends with high values of χ tended to trigger surface-directed vertical phase separation during rapid solvent evaporation. However, strong aggregation of polymers with low solubility counteracted this surface-directed vertical stratification. Moreover, solvent additives strongly affected the vertical phase separation processes, and caused the composition of the active layer to fluctuate dramatically. We also found the photovoltaic characteristics, including charge recombination time, to be strongly affected by the vertical distribution of the composition. The modulation of the composition in the vertical direction should therefore be optimized to increase the efficiency of charge collection and hence achieve high-efficiency organic solar cells.

Enhancing the Durability and Carrier Selectivity of Perovskite Solar Cells Using a Blend Interlayer

A mechanically and thermally stable and electron-selective ZnO/CH3NH3PbI3 interface is created via hybridization of a polar insulating polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), into ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). PEG successfully passivates the oxygen defects on ZnO and prevents direct contact between CH3NH3PbI3 and defects on ZnO. A uniform CH3NH3PbI3 film is formed on a soft ZnO:PEG layer after dispersion of the residual stress from the volume expansion during CH3NH3PbI3 conversion. PEG also increases the work of adhesion of the CH3NH3PbI3 film on the ZnO:PEG layer and holds the CH3NH3PbI3 film with hydrogen bonding. Furthermore, PEG tailors the interfacial electronic structure of ZnO, reducing the electron affinity of ZnO. As a result, a selective electron-collection cathode is formed with a reduced electron affinity and a deep-lying valence band of ZnO, which significantly enhances the carrier lifetime (473 μs) and photovoltaic performance (15.5%). The mechanically and electrically durable ZnO:PEG/CH3NH3PbI3 interface maintains the sustainable performance of the solar cells over 1 year. A soft and durable cathodic interface via PEG hybridization in a ZnO layer is an effective strategy toward flexible electronics and commercialization of the perovskite solar cells.

Enhanced Organic Solar Cell Stability through the Effective Blocking of Oxygen Diffusion using a Self‐Passivating Metal Electrode

A new and simple strategy for enhancing the stability of organic solar cells (OSCs) was developed by using self-passivating metal top electrodes. Systematic investigations on O2 permeability of Al top electrodes revealed that the main pathways for oxidation-induced degradation could be greatly suppressed by simply controlling the nanoscale morphology of the Al electrode. The population of nanoscale pinholes among Al grains, which critically decided the diffusion of O2 molecules toward the Al-organic interfaces that are vulnerable to oxidation, was successfully regulated by rapidly depositing Al or promoting lateral growth among the Al grains, accompanied by increasing the deposition thickness. Our observations suggested that the stability of OSCs with conventional architectures might be greatly enhanced simply by controlling the fabrication conditions of the Al top electrode, without the aid of additional secondary treatments.