Electron-hole diffusion lengths > 175  m in solution-grown CH3NH3PbI3 single crystals

Journal Article · Thu Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa5760· OSTI ID:1353300

Dong, Q.; Fang, Y.; Shao, Y.; Mulligan, P.; Qiu, J.; Cao, L.; Huang, J.

Long, balanced electron and hole diffusion lengths greater than 100 nanometers in the polycrystalline organolead trihalide compound CH₃NH₃PbI₃ are critical for highly efficient perovskite solar cells. We found that the diffusion lengths in CH₃NH₃PbI₃ single crystals grown by a solution-growth method can exceed 175 micrometers under 1 sun (100 mW cm^–2) illumination and exceed 3 millimeters under weak light for both electrons and holes. The internal quantum efficiencies approach 100% in 3-millimeter-thick single-crystal perovskite solar cells under weak light. These long diffusion lengths result from greater carrier mobility, longer lifetime, and much smaller trap densities in the single crystals than in polycrystalline thin films. As a result, the long carrier diffusion lengths enabled the use of CH₃NH₃PbI₃ in radiation sensing and energy harvesting through the gammavoltaic effect, with an efficiency of 3.9% measured with an intense cesium-137 source.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: EE0006709
• OSTI ID: 1353300
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1238001
• Journal Information: Science, Journal Name: Science Vol. 347 Journal Issue: 6225; ISSN 0036-8075
• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE