Mapping the Photoresponse of CH3NH3PbI3 Hybrid Perovskite Thin Films at the Nanoscale

Kutes, Yasemin; Zhou, Yuanyuan; Bosse, James L.; Steffes, James; Padture, Nitin P.; Huey, Bryan D.

doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04157

Mapping the Photoresponse of CH₃NH₃PbI₃ Hybrid Perovskite Thin Films at the Nanoscale

Journal Article · Thu May 26 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Nano Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04157· OSTI ID:1418561

Kutes, Yasemin ^[1]; Zhou, Yuanyuan ^[2]; Bosse, James L. ^[3]; Steffes, James ^[3]; Padture, Nitin P. ^[4]; Huey, Bryan D. ^[3]

Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States); University of Connecticut
Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States)
Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) based on thin films of organolead trihalide perovskites (OTPs) hold unprecedented promise for low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaics (PVs) of the future. While PV performance parameters of PSCs, such as short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and maximum power, are always measured at the macroscopic scale, it is necessary to probe such photoresponses at the nanoscale to gain key insights into the fundamental PV mechanisms and their localized dependence on the OTP thin-film microstructure. Here we use photoconductive atomic force microscopy spectroscopy to map for the first time variations of PV performance at the nanoscale for planar PSCs based on hole-transport-layer free methylammonium lead triiodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃ or MAPbI₃) thin films. These results reveal substantial variations in the photoresponse that correlate with thin-film microstructural features such as intragrain planar defects, grains, grain boundaries, and notably also grain-aggregates. The insights gained into such microstructure-localized PV mechanisms are essential for guiding microstructural tailoring of OTP films for improved PV performance in future PSCs.

Research Organization:: Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF)

DOE Contract Number:: SC0005037

OSTI ID:: 1418561

Journal Information:: Nano Letters, Journal Name: Nano Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 16; ISSN 1530-6984

Publisher:: American Chemical Society

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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