Zhi David Chen

Interface engineering of high efficiency perovskite solar cells based on ZnO nanorods using atomic layer deposition

Despite the considerably improved efficiency of inorganic–organic metal hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs), electron transport is still a challenging issue. In this paper, we report the use of ZnO nanorods prepared by hydrothermal self-assembly as the electron transport layer in perovskite solar cells. The efficiency of the perovskite solar cells is significantly enhanced by passivating the interfacial defects via atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 monolayers on the ZnO nanorods. By employing the Al2O3 monolayers, the average power conversion efficiency of methylammonium lead iodide PSCs was increased from 10.33% to 15.06%, and the highest efficiency obtained was 16.08%. We suggest that the passivation of defects using the atomic layer deposition of monolayers might provide a new pathway for the improvement of all types of PSCs..

Solvent annealing of PbI2 for the high-quality crystallization of perovskite films for solar cells with efficiencies exceeding 18%

While most work carried out to date has focused on the solvent annealing of perovskite, in the present work, we focused on the solvent annealing of lead iodide. Based on the two-step spin-coating method, we designed a screening method to search for an effective solvent annealing process for PbI2. PbI2 films were annealed in diverse solvent atmospheres, including DMF, DMSO, acetone, and isopropanol (IPA). We found that the solvent annealing of PbI2 in the DMF, acetone, and IPA atmospheres resulted in dense PbI2 films, which impeded the complete conversion of PbI2 to CH3NH3PbI3. Surprisingly, employing the DMSO solvent annealing process for PbI2 led to porous PbI2, which facilitated the complete conversion of PbI2 to perovskite with larger grain sizes. Solar cells fabricated using the DMSO solvent annealing process exhibited the best efficiency of 18.5%, with a fill factor of 76.5%. This unique solvent annealing method presents a new way of controlling the perovskite film quality for highly efficient solar cells.

Perovskite Solar Cells with ZnO Electron‐Transporting Materials

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have developed rapidly over the past few years, and the power conversion efficiency of PSCs has exceeded 20%. Such high performance can be attributed to the unique properties of perovskite materials, such as high absorption over the visible range and long diffusion length. Due to the different diffusion lengths of holes and electrons, electron transporting materials (ETMs) used in PSCs play a critical role in PSCs performance. As an alternative to TiO2 ETM, ZnO materials have similar physical properties to TiO2 but with much higher electron mobility. In addition, there are many simple and facile methods to fabricate ZnO nanomaterials with low cost and energy consumption. This review focuses on recent developments in the use of ZnO ETM for PSCs. The fabrication methods of ZnO materials are briefly introduced. The influence of different ZnO ETMs on performance of PSCs is then reviewed. The limitations of ZnO ETM-based PSCs and some solutions to these challenges are also discussed. The review provides a systematic and comprehensive understanding of the influence of different ZnO ETMs on PSCs performance and potentially motivates further development of PSCs by extending the knowledge of ZnO-based PSCs to TiO2 -based PSCs.

Enhanced efficiency and environmental stability of planar perovskite solar cells by suppressing photocatalytic decomposition

The environmental instability of perovskite solar cells caused by the ultraviolet photocatalytic effect of metal oxide layers is a critical issue that must be solved. In this paper, we report improved environmental stability of ZnO film-based planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells, by suppressing photocatalytic activities induced by the ZnO electron transfer layer. The photovoltaic performance and stability in an ambient environment under continuous illumination are effectively improved by applying an aluminum oxide interlayer on the ZnO film to suppress the photocatalytic degradation of perovskites. The highest efficiency of solar cells has increased from 14.62% to 17.17%, and after 250 h of continuous exposure under full spectrum simulated sunlight in air, the efficiency remains as high as 15.03%. The results suggest that effective suppression of photocatalytic degradation of perovskites with a modified electron transfer layer is a new solution to improve the long-term environmental stability of perovskite solar cells.

Enhanced electronic transport in Fe3+-doped TiO2 for high efficiency perovskite solar cells

Oxygen vacancies in non-stoichiometric TiO2 electron transport layers can capture injected electrons and act as recombination centers. In this study, the compact TiO2 electron transport layers of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are doped with different molar ratios of Fe3+ in order to passivate such defects and improve their electron transport properties. The electrical conductivity, absorption, crystal structure, and the performance of the PSCs are systematically studied. It shows that Fe3+-doping improves the conductivity of TiO2 compact layers compared with the pristine TiO2, boosting the photovoltaic performance of PSCs. The reduced trap-filled limit voltage (VTFL) of the Fe3+-doped TiO2 compact layers suggests that trap density in the Fe3+-TiO2 films is much lower than that of a pristine TiO2 film. With the optimized doping concentration (1 mol%) of Fe3+, the best power conversion efficiency of PSCs is improved from 16.02% to 18.60%.

Realizing Full Coverage of Stable Perovskite Film by Modified Anti-Solvent Process

Lead-free solution-processed solid-state photovoltaic devices based on formamidinium tin triiodide (FASnI3) and cesium tin triiodide (CsSnI3) perovskite semiconductor as the light harvester are reported. In this letter, we used solvent engineering and anti-solvent dripping method to fabricate perovskite films. SnCl2 was used as an inhibitor of Sn4+ in FASnI3 precursor solution. We obtained the best films under the function of toluene or chlorobenzene in anti-solvent dripping method and monitored the oxidation of FASnI3 films in air. We chose SnF2 as an additive of CsSnI3 precursor solution to prevent the oxidation of the Sn2+, improving the stability of CsSnI3. The experimental results we obtained can pave the way for lead-free tin-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Nanotube photovoltaic configuration for enhancement of carrier generation and collection

We report on the growth of geometric feature tuned semiconductor nanotubes on a transparent substrate through the application of an anodic aluminum oxide membrane-assisted method. Three-dimensional nanotube solar cells are developed in which semiconductor absorbers are not only used to fill the inner core of the nanotubes, but also to replace the membrane and to fill the intertube space between the nanotubes. The nanotube solar cells generate and separate carriers in three dimensions, namely, inside the cores of the nanotubes, in the intertube space between the nanotubes along the radial direction, and above the nanotubes along the axial direction. In preliminary experiments conducted to demonstrate the potential of this approach, nanotube CdS-CdTe solar cells were fabricated. CdS nanotubes with an inner diameter, wall thickness and intertube spacing of 35, 20, and 35 nm, respectively, were grown; the porosity and CdS nanotube density were 36.5% and 2.26 × 1010 nanotubes/cm2, respectively. These features of CdS nanotubes enable more efficient carrier collection because of the reduced recombination, especially in those cases in which the minority carrier lifetime is short, thus resulting in a diffusion length of less than 100 nm. Nanotube CdS-CdTe solar cells exhibit a wide and strong spectral response and quantum efficiency, indicating enhanced light absorption and carrier generation and collection. Without the benefit of an antireflection coating, the cells exhibited a wide and strong spectral response of quantum efficiency, and a short current density of 25.5 mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 750 mV, and a power conversion efficiency of 10.7% under 1-sun illumination. The materials and electro-optical characterizations indicated well-defined junction and interface behavior in these 3D nanotube solar cell configurations.

Polarization induced hole doping in graded AlxGa1-xN (x=0.7 similar to 1) layer grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Polarization induced hole doping on the order of ∼1018 cm−3 is achieved in linearly graded AlxGa1−xN (x = 0.7 ∼ 1) layer grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Graded AlxGa1−xN and conventional Al0.7Ga0.3N layers grown on AlN are beryllium (Be) doped via epitaxial growth. The hole concentration in graded AlxGa1−xN:Be (x = 0.7 ∼ 1) layers demonstrates that polarization generates hole charges from Be dopant. The Al0.7Ga0.3N layer is not conductive owing to the absence of carriers generated from the Be dopant without the inducement of polarization. Polarization doping provides an approach to high efficiency p-type doping in high Al composition AlGaN.