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A series of alcohols (methanol, ethanol and isopropyl alcohol) were added to poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): (polystyrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) aqueous solutions in order to manipulate the molecular structure of the PEDOT chains in PEDOT: PSS hole transporting materials (HTMs) and thus to improve the power conversion efficiency of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 based solar cells. The structural and electronic characteristics of the resultant PEDOT: PSS HTMs were analyzed using atomic-force microscopy, contact angle measurement, Raman scattering spectrometry and photoelectron spectrometry. The properties of the PEDOT: PSS thin films could be controlled by tuning the viscosity of the PEDOT: PSS solutions. High viscosity PEDOT: PSS solutions resulted in linear structured PEDOT chains, which increased the work function of the PEDOT: PSS HTMs thereby improving the open-circuit voltage of the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 solar cells. The surface roughness and surface free energy of the PEDOT: PSS HTMs influence the structural properties of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin films, which determines the exciton dissociation at the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 /PEDOT: PSS interface (short-circuit current density) and the carrier recombination at the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 /[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC 61 BM) interface (fill factor). In addition, it is predicted that the power conversion efficiency can be further improved by increasing the crystallinity of the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of nonpolar antisolvents (chlorobenzene, bromobenzene, iodobenzene and toluene) were used to assist in the formation of smooth and crystalline CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin films by a one-step spin-coating method. The structural, optical and excitonic characteristics of the resultant CH 3 NH 3 PI 3 thin films were analyzed using an atomic-force microscope, X-ray diffractometer, absorbance spectrum, photoluminescence (PL) spectrum, time-resolved PL and temperature-dependent PL. The properties of the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin films are dependent on the relative polarity and boiling point of the nonpolar antisolvents used in the washing treatment process. The interplay between nucleation (relative polarity) and crystal growth (boiling point) during the formation of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin films influences the short-circuit current density (J SC ) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the corresponding solar cells. The experimental results demonstrate that iodobenzene can be substituted for toluene as a more efficient antisolvent in the washing treatment process during the fabrication of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin films. In addition, it is predicted that the J SC and PCE can be further improved by increasing the crystallinity of the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmittance spectra, atomic-force microscopic images, energy-dispersive X-ray spectra and droplet contact angle images show that a facile wet etching process can be used to manipulate the thickness, surface roughness, surface chemical composition and surface wettability of the indium-tin oxide (ITO) thin films, which influences the molecular packing structure of the P3CT-Na thin films and thereby dominating the crystal quality of the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 (MAPbI 3) thin films. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the P3CT-Na based MAPbI 3 solar cells can be improved from 17.02% to 19.35% by increasing the Sn/In concentration ratio of the ITO thin films from 0.36 to 0.47 with a facile wet etching process at a constant temperature of 40 °C. It is noted that the PCE of the optimal solar cell decreases slowly toward a stable PCE of 16% for more than 60 days under moderate environment conditions (55 ± 10 RH%). • Surface properties of the ITO/glass substrates can be varied by the wet etching process. • The contact quality at the P3CT-Na/ITO interface can be improved. • The contact quality at the MAPbI3/P3CT-Na interface can be improved. • After 60 days, the PCE slowly decreased from 19.35% to 16.03%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Ag modified bathocuproine:ZnO nanoparticles (BCP:ZnO NPs) thin film was used as the buffer layer of inverted-type perovskite solar cells, which increased the bifacial power conversion efficiency from 6.82% to 15.50%. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering and absorbance spectra show that the Ag modified BCP small molecules can effectively passivate the surface oxygen defects of ZnO NPs and thereby increasing the crystallinity, which simultaneously increases the short-circuit current density (J SC) and fill factor. It is noted that a high incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) of 92% is achieved at the wavelength of 587 nm due to the constructive interference effect in the multilayer structure, which can be used to explain the high photocurrent generation in a semi-transparent solar cell. In addition, the light intensity-dependent experimental results of the bifacial perovskite solar demonstrates that the hole transportation is better than the electron transportation in the perovskite thin film. This concept can be readily used in the optimization of high-efficiency bifacial perovskite solar cells. [Display omitted] • A bifacial PCE of 15.50% is achieved in the bifacial inverted-type MAPbI 3 solar cells. • Ag modified BCP:ZnO NPs thin film is used as the electron buffer layer of MAPbI3 solar cells. • The higher deposition rate of Ag results in the higher FF and PCE. • The asymmetric FF implies that the hole mobility is higher than electron mobility in MAPbI 3 thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

—The structural, optical and excitonic characteristics of urea doped CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 (MAPbI 3) multi-crystalline thin films were investigated by using the X-ray diffraction patterns, atomic-force microscopic images, absorbance spectra, photoluminescence (PL) spectra and Raman scattering spectra. The surface-sensitive Raman scattering spectra show that the urea small molecules are mainly distributed in the top region of the MAPbI 3 thin films and thereby effectively passivating the electron-poor defects (interfacial MA cations) of MAPbI 3 thin films. Besides, the thermal annealing temperature and the concentration of urea additive both strongly influence the formation of MAPbI 3 thin films, which dominates the photovoltaic performance. The use of 5-wt% urea can increase the open-circuit voltage (V OC) and short-circuit current density (J SC) of the MAPbI 3 solar cells from 0.88 V to 19.75 mA/cm2 to 0.94 V and 22.97 mA/cm2, respectively. In addition, the reduced current hysteresis in the J-V curves of the MAPbI 3 solar cells can be explained as due to the effective defect passivation in the top region of the MAPbI 3 thin film by the oxygen-donors of the urea small molecules. Image 1 • The optoelectronic properties of urea-doped MAPbI 3 thin films are investigated. • The 5-wt% urea-doped MAPbI 3 thin film has the disk-like shaped grains. • The urea small molecules are mainly distributed in the top region of MAPbI3 thin films. • The V OC and J SC of MAPbI3 solar cells are simultaneously increased by using the urea additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 (MAPbI 3) perovskite thin films were fabricated by using the one-step spin-coating method with a washing-enhanced nucleation (WEN) process under various dropping times, and the resultant thin films were characterized through the reflected-type optical microscope, atomic force microscope, transmittance spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, photoluminescence spectrometer and water droplet contact-angle imaging system. The experimental results show that the dropping time for the WEN process strongly influences the surface morphology, surface wettability, crystallinity and refractive index of the resultant MAPbI 3 thin films, which dominates the contact at the hydrophilic MAPbI 3 /hydrophobic 6,6-phenyl C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) interface and thereby determines the photovoltaic performance. In addition, this investigation helps further understand the effects of the WEN process on the formation of a closely-packed MAPbI 3 thin film. Image 1 • The dropping time for the WEN process highly influences the formation of perovskite films. • The dropping time largely changes the optical and structural properties of perovskite films. • The dropping time can change the surface wettability of perovskite films. • The dropping time dominates the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]