High Performance Perovskite-Based Solar Cells (Final Technical Report)
- Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)
- Univ. of Toledo, OH (United States)
Hybrid lead-halide perovskite semiconductors have become one of the most heavily studied photovoltaic (PV) materials within the past ten years. However, these materials suffer from two key limitations that have ultimately limited the progression towards commercialization: (i) the inclusion of toxic lead (Pb) and (ii) instability towards moisture, oxygen, and temperature. This project has targeted the development of perovskite absorber materials that replace Pb with a benign alternative and that are stable under atmospheric conditions. Under this broad goal, the project had four major objectives: 1) Develop high-performance Pb-based PV devices and study alternative inorganic contact materials to improve the device stability; 2) Advance computational techniques to understand the electronic and optical properties of perovskite semiconductors from a theoretical perspective; 3) Explore various hybrid and inorganic halide, chalcohalide and chalcogenide perovskite absorbers as highly stable, Pb-free absorber alternatives; 4) Develop thin-film deposition and device fabrication methodologies to deposit high-quality Pb-free perovskite absorbers and high-performance devices. Within the first objective, the researchers fabricated high-performing methylammonium lead iodide solar cells based on both traditional architectures (using a TiO2 contact) and inverted architectures using NiOx and novel CuCrO2 as hole transport layers (HTL). The work with CuCrO2 is the first work demonstrating CuCrO2 as a promising contact material for future, stable perovskite solar cells. Towards the second objective researchers have calculated the intrinsic stability and optoelectronic properties of multiple Pb-free systems including chalcohalide (e.g. CsBiOF2), halide (e.g. Cs3Sb2I9), and chalcogenide perovskites (e.g. BaZr1-xTixS3). Additionally, the researchers have furthered the basic understanding of perovskite materials by introducing the concept of electronic dimensionality and its impact on optoelectronic properties. This understanding has had implications in PV applications and beyond. In the third and fourth objectives, the investigators have exhausted a myriad of Pb-free materials in search of a stable, promising Pb-free perovskite absorber, including chalochalides based on CsBiOF2, Pb-free halides (such as Cs2AgBiBr6, Cs2TiBr6, and Cs(Ge/Sn)I3) , chalcogenide perovskites (e.g. BaZrS3), and perovskite-related halides InI and silver bismuth iodide. While the researchers have studied many promising perovskites and perovskite-alternatives, a stable, high-performing Pb-free absorber has proven to be elusive.
- Research Organization:
- Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States); Univ. of Toledo, OH (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EE0006712
- OSTI ID:
- 1582433
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-DUKE-06712-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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