skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Enhanced optoelectronic quality of perovskite thin films with hypophosphorous acid for planar heterojunction solar cells

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10030· OSTI ID:1239810

Solution-processed metal halide perovskite semiconductors, such as CH3NH3PbI3, have exhibited remarkable performance in solar cells, despite having non-negligible density of defect states. A likely candidate is halide vacancies within the perovskite crystals, or the presence of metallic lead, both generated due to the imbalanced I/Pb stoichiometry which could evolve during crystallization. Herein, we show that the addition of hypophosphorous acid (HPA) in the precursor solution can significantly improve the film quality, both electronically and topologically, and enhance the photoluminescence intensity, which leads to more efficient and reproducible photovoltaic devices. We demonstrate that the HPA can reduce the oxidized I2 back into I-, and our results indicate that this facilitates an improved stoichiometry in the perovskite crystal and a reduced density of metallic lead.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom). Dept. of Physics
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0013957
OSTI ID:
1239810
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 6; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 534 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (47)

Organometal Halide Perovskites as Visible-Light Sensitizers for Photovoltaic Cells journal May 2009
Efficient Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Meso-Superstructured Organometal Halide Perovskites journal October 2012
Lead Iodide Perovskite Sensitized All-Solid-State Submicron Thin Film Mesoscopic Solar Cell with Efficiency Exceeding 9% journal August 2012
Bright light-emitting diodes based on organometal halide perovskite journal August 2014
High-performance photovoltaic perovskite layers fabricated through intramolecular exchange journal May 2015
Impact of microstructure on local carrier lifetime in perovskite solar cells journal April 2015
The Role of Intrinsic Defects in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite journal March 2014
Unusual defect physics in CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite solar cell absorber journal February 2014
Enhanced Photoluminescence and Solar Cell Performance via Lewis Base Passivation of Organic–Inorganic Lead Halide Perovskites journal September 2014
Supramolecular Halogen Bond Passivation of Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskite Solar Cells journal May 2014
Defects in Semiconductors: Some Fatal, Some Vital journal August 1998
Efficiency enhancement of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells due to post-deposition Na incorporation journal February 2004
Passivation of grain boundaries in polycrystalline silicon journal March 1979
Why Lead Methylammonium Tri-Iodide Perovskite-Based Solar Cells Require a Mesoporous Electron Transporting Scaffold (but Not Necessarily a Hole Conductor) journal January 2014
High-efficiency solution-processed perovskite solar cells with millimeter-scale grains journal January 2015
Electron-hole diffusion lengths > 175 μm in solution-grown CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 single crystals journal January 2015
Low trap-state density and long carrier diffusion in organolead trihalide perovskite single crystals journal January 2015
Low-temperature solution-processed wavelength-tunable perovskites for lasing journal March 2014
Low-temperature processed meso-superstructured to thin-film perovskite solar cells journal January 2013
Sequential deposition as a route to high-performance perovskite-sensitized solar cells journal July 2013
Efficient planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells by vapour deposition journal September 2013
Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells via Vapor-Assisted Solution Process journal December 2013
CH 3 NH 3 Cl-Assisted One-Step Solution Growth of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 : Structure, Charge-Carrier Dynamics, and Photovoltaic Properties of Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2014
Additive Enhanced Crystallization of Solution-Processed Perovskite for Highly Efficient Planar-Heterojunction Solar Cells journal March 2014
Ultrasmooth organic–inorganic perovskite thin-film formation and crystallization for efficient planar heterojunction solar cells journal January 2015
Hybrid Halide Perovskite Solar Cell Precursors: Colloidal Chemistry and Coordination Engineering behind Device Processing for High Efficiency journal March 2015
Study on the stability of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 films and the effect of post-modification by aluminum oxide in all-solid-state hybrid solar cells journal January 2014
Nucleophilic Displacement in the Oxidation of Iodide Ion by Dimethyl Sulfoxide journal January 1966
Solvent Effects on the Electro-oxidation of Iodide Ion journal May 1959
Solvent Effect on Photosensitized Oxidation of Iodide ion by Anthracene Sulphonates journal May 1978
Regeneration and Recovery of Hydriodic Acid after Reduction of Polyols to Fuels 1 journal September 1999
The Long-Wavelength Edge of Photographic Sensitivity and of the Electronic Absorption of Solids journal December 1953
Organometallic Halide Perovskites: Sharp Optical Absorption Edge and Its Relation to Photovoltaic Performance journal March 2014
Preparation of Single-Phase Films of CH 3 NH 3 Pb(I 1– x Br x ) 3 with Sharp Optical Band Edges journal July 2014
Recombination Kinetics in Organic-Inorganic Perovskites: Excitons, Free Charge, and Subgap States journal September 2014
Surface photovoltage spectroscopy of semiconductor structures: at the crossroads of physics, chemistry and electrical engineering journal January 2001
Review of surface photovoltage spectra of nano-sized semiconductor and its applications in heterogeneous photocatalysis journal September 2003
Charge selective contacts, mobile ions and anomalous hysteresis in organic–inorganic perovskite solar cells journal January 2015
Chemical reactions of N 2+ ion beams with group IV elements and their oxides journal January 1978
Electronic Structure of TiO 2 /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 Perovskite Solar Cell Interfaces journal January 2014
Perovskite-Based Hybrid Solar Cells Exceeding 10% Efficiency with High Reproducibility Using a Thin Film Sandwich Approach journal December 2013
Observation and Mediation of the Presence of Metallic Lead in Organic–Inorganic Perovskite Films journal June 2015
Sub-150 °C processed meso-superstructured perovskite solar cells with enhanced efficiency journal January 2014
Anomalous Hysteresis in Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2014
Orbital alignment at p -sexiphenyl and coronene/layered materials interfaces measured with photoemission spectroscopy journal June 2002
Why Lead Methylammonium tri-IODIDE perovskite-based solar cells requires a mesoporous electron transporting scaffold (but not necessarily a hole conductor) text January 2014
Materials aspects of CdTe/CdS solar cells journal February 1999

Cited By (126)

High-Performance Inverted Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Lead Acetate Precursor with Efficiency Exceeding 18% journal April 2016
Precisely Controlling the Grain Sizes with an Ammonium Hypophosphite Additive for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells journal June 2018
A Dual‐Retarded Reaction Processed Mixed‐Cation Perovskite Layer for High‐Efficiency Solar Cells journal January 2019
Water‐Soluble Triazolium Ionic‐Liquid‐Induced Surface Self‐Assembly to Enhance the Stability and Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells journal February 2019
Interface Molecular Engineering for Laminated Monolithic Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells with 80.4% Fill Factor journal August 2019
SrCl 2 Derived Perovskite Facilitating a High Efficiency of 16% in Hole-Conductor-Free Fully Printable Mesoscopic Perovskite Solar Cells journal February 2017
Chemical Reduction of Intrinsic Defects in Thicker Heterojunction Planar Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2017
The Impact of Atmosphere on the Local Luminescence Properties of Metal Halide Perovskite Grains journal March 2018
Causes and Solutions of Recombination in Perovskite Solar Cells journal September 2018
Highly Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells via Modification of Energy Levels at the Perovskite/Carbon Electrode Interface journal January 2019
Diboron-Assisted Interfacial Defect Control Strategy for Highly Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells journal October 2018
Highly Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cell Obtained via Treatment by Semiconducting Chemical Additive journal December 2018
Coated and Printed Perovskites for Photovoltaic Applications journal April 2019
Efficient and Stable CsPbI 3 Solar Cells via Regulating Lattice Distortion with Surface Organic Terminal Groups journal April 2019
A‐Site Management for Highly Crystalline Perovskites journal November 2019
High Quality Hybrid Perovskite Semiconductor Thin Films with Remarkably Enhanced Luminescence and Defect Suppression via Quaternary Alkyl Ammonium Salt Based Treatment journal July 2017
Defect Engineering toward Highly Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells journal July 2018
Interface Engineering in Tin Perovskite Solar Cells journal October 2019
Impact of White Light Illumination on the Electronic and Chemical Structures of Mixed Halide and Single Crystal Perovskites journal March 2017
Alkali Metal Doping for Improved CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 Perovskite Solar Cells journal December 2017
Control of Interface Defects for Efficient and Stable Quasi-2D Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes Using Nickel Oxide Hole Injection Layer journal October 2018
Role of Microstructure in Oxygen Induced Photodegradation of Methylammonium Lead Triiodide Perovskite Films journal July 2017
Fused-Ring Electron Acceptor ITIC-Th: A Novel Stabilizer for Halide Perovskite Precursor Solution journal March 2018
Efficient Defect Passivation for Perovskite Solar Cells by Controlling the Electron Density Distribution of Donor‐π‐Acceptor Molecules journal March 2019
Tin Halide Perovskite (ASnX 3 ) Solar Cells: A Comprehensive Guide toward the Highest Power Conversion Efficiency journal September 2019
Progress of Surface Science Studies on ABX 3 ‐Based Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2020
Post‐Treatment of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 /PbI 2 Composite Films with Methylamine to Realize High‐Performance Photoconductor Devices journal July 2019
Understanding the Impact of Bismuth Heterovalent Doping on the Structural and Photophysical Properties of CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 Halide Perovskite Crystals with Near‐IR Photoluminescence journal March 2019
Revealing the Self-Degradation Mechanisms in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskites in Dark and Vacuum journal April 2018
Effect of Precursor Stoichiometry on the Performance and Stability of MAPbBr 3 Photovoltaic Devices journal April 2020
Potassium stabilization of methylammonium lead bromide perovskite for robust photocatalytic H 2 generation journal January 2020
Controlling Nucleation and Growth of Metal Halide Perovskite Thin Films for High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells journal February 2017
Spin-coated copper(I) thiocyanate as a hole transport layer for perovskite solar cells journal November 2019
Surface passivation with nitrogen-doped carbon dots for improved perovskite solar cell performance journal March 2018
Inorganic based hole transport materials for perovskite solar cells journal March 2018
Fast oxygen diffusion and iodide defects mediate oxygen-induced degradation of perovskite solar cells journal May 2017
Defects in perovskite-halides and their effects in solar cells journal October 2016
Consolidation of the optoelectronic properties of CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite single crystals journal September 2017
Stable and bright formamidinium-based perovskite light-emitting diodes with high energy conversion efficiency journal August 2019
Clues from defect photochemistry journal April 2018
Investigation into the Advantages of Pure Perovskite Film without PbI2 for High Performance Solar Cell journal October 2016
Dramatically promoted crystallization control of organolead triiodide perovskite film by a homogeneous cap for high efficiency planar-heterojunction solar cells journal January 2016
Understanding surface chemistry during MAPbI 3 spray deposition and its effect on photovoltaic performance journal January 2017
Grain engineering by ultrasonic substrate vibration post-treatment of wet perovskite films for annealing-free, high performance, and stable perovskite solar cells journal January 2018
Structural design considerations of solution-processable graphenes as interfacial materials via a controllable synthesis method for the achievement of highly efficient, stable, and printable planar perovskite solar cells journal January 2019
Achieving high-performance thick-film perovskite solar cells with electron transporting Bingel fullerenes journal January 2018
Dimethyl-sulfoxide-assisted improvement in the crystallization of lead-acetate-based perovskites for high-performance solar cells journal January 2018
Semiconducting carbon nanotubes as crystal growth templates and grain bridges in perovskite solar cells journal January 2019
Electron trapping and extraction kinetics on carrier diffusion in metal halide perovskite thin films journal January 2019
Control of aggregation and dissolution of small molecule hole transport layers via a doping strategy for highly efficient perovskite solar cells journal January 2019
Thermally evaporated hybrid perovskite for hetero-structured green light-emitting diodes journal October 2017
Mechanism of surface passivation of methylammonium lead tribromide single crystals by benzylamine journal September 2019
Atmospherically induced defects in (FASnI 3 ) 0.6 (MAPbI 3−3 x Cl 3 x ) 0.4 perovskites journal February 2019
Iodide management in formamidinium-lead-halide–based perovskite layers for efficient solar cells journal June 2017
Decreased Surface Photovoltage of ZnO Photoanode Films via Optimal Annealing Temperature for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance journal January 2019
Nanoimprinted distributed feedback lasers of solution processed hybrid perovskites journal January 2016
High Open-Circuit Voltages in Tin-Rich Low-Bandgap Perovskite-Based Planar Heterojunction Photovoltaics text January 2017
Analysing the Prospects of Perovskite Solar Cells within the Purview of Recent Scientific Advancements journal June 2018
Reduced Defects of MAPbI 3 Thin Films Treated by FAI for High-Performance Planar Perovskite Solar Cells journal December 2018
Nitrogen‐Dopant‐Induced Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Crystal Growth on Carbon Nanotubes journal May 2019
Stable Triple Cation Perovskite Precursor for Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells Enabled by Interaction with 18C6 Stabilizer journal December 2019
Charge-Carrier Balance for Highly Efficient Inverted Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells journal October 2016
Dual-Source Precursor Approach for Highly Efficient Inverted Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells journal March 2017
Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Halide Perovskites for Memories, Transistors, and Artificial Synapses journal May 2018
Oriented Quasi-2D Perovskites for High Performance Optoelectronic Devices journal October 2018
Simultaneous Bottom‐Up Interfacial and Bulk Defect Passivation in Highly Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells using Nonconjugated Small‐Molecule Electrolytes journal August 2019
Integrating Properties Modification in the Synthesis of Metal Halide Perovskites journal November 2018
Conducting Bridge Resistive Switching Behaviors in Cubic MAPbI 3 , Orthorhombic RbPbI 3 , and Their Mixtures journal November 2018
A Review on Additives for Halide Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2020
Advances in Inkjet‐Printed Metal Halide Perovskite Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices journal April 2020
Engineering Halide Perovskite Crystals through Precursor Chemistry journal October 2019
Organic‐Inorganic Halide Perovskites: From Crystallization of Polycrystalline Films to Solar Cell Applications journal August 2019
Photo-induced halide redistribution in organic–inorganic perovskite films journal May 2016
Ultra-bright and highly efficient inorganic based perovskite light-emitting diodes journal June 2017
Impacts of alkaline on the defects property and crystallization kinetics in perovskite solar cells journal March 2019
Defects engineering for high-performance perovskite solar cells journal August 2018
Visualization and suppression of interfacial recombination for high-efficiency large-area pin perovskite solar cells journal July 2018
Green Perovskite Distributed Feedback Lasers journal September 2017
Perovskite Thin Film Synthesised from Sputtered Lead Sulphide journal January 2018
Post-annealing of MAPbI 3 perovskite films with methylamine for efficient perovskite solar cells journal January 2016
In situ investigation of degradation at organometal halide perovskite surfaces by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy at realistic water vapour pressure journal January 2017
Suppressing generation of iodine impurity via an amidine additive in perovskite solar cells journal January 2018
Efficient and stable planar perovskite solar cells with carbon quantum dots-doped PCBM electron transport layer journal January 2019
Ultrafast laser-annealing of perovskite films for efficient perovskite solar cells journal January 2020
Defect passivation by alcohol-soluble small molecules for efficient p–i–n planar perovskite solar cells with high open-circuit voltage journal January 2019
Bulk recrystallization for efficient mixed-cation mixed-halide perovskite solar cells journal January 2019
Excited-state stability of quasi-two-dimensional metal halide perovskite films under optical and electrical excitations journal December 2019
A Eu 3+ -Eu 2+ ion redox shuttle imparts operational durability to Pb-I perovskite solar cells journal January 2019
How Methylammonium Cations and Chlorine Dopants Heal Defects in Lead Iodide Perovskites journalarticle January 2018
The Impact of Atmosphere on the Local Luminescence Properties of Metal Halide Perovskite Grains. text January 2018
Control of Interface Defects for Efficient and Stable Quasi-2D Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes Using Nickel Oxide Hole Injection Layer. journalarticle January 2018
A Review on Improving the Quality of Perovskite Films in Perovskite Solar Cells via the Weak Forces Induced by Additives journal October 2019
Employing Lead Thiocyanate Additive to Reduce the Hysteresis and Boost the Fill Factor of Planar Perovskite Solar Cells journal May 2016
Crystallization Kinetics and Morphology Control of Formamidinium-Cesium Mixed-Cation Lead Mixed-Halide Perovskite via Tunability of the Colloidal Precursor Solution journal May 2017
Grain-Boundary “Patches” by In Situ Conversion to Enhance Perovskite Solar Cells Stability journal June 2018
Deciphering the Role of Impurities in Methylammonium Iodide and Their Impact on the Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells journal September 2016
Elucidating the Role of a Tetrafluoroborate‐Based Ionic Liquid at the n‐Type Oxide/Perovskite Interface journal December 2019
Verringerung schädlicher Defekte für leistungsstarke Metallhalogenid‐Perowskit‐Solarzellen journal April 2020
Solvent and Spinning Speed Effects on CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 Films Deposited by Spin Coating journal September 2019
Semitransparent CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 Films Achieved by Solvent Engineering for Annealing- and Electron Transport Layer-Free Planar Perovskite Solar Cells journal March 2018
High-efficiency colorful perovskite solar cells using TiO2 nanobowl arrays as a structured electron transport layer journal July 2019
Strongly emissive perovskite nanocrystal inks for high-voltage solar cells journal December 2016
Inversion symmetry and bulk Rashba effect in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite single crystals journal May 2018
Low-dimensional halide perovskites: review and issues journal January 2018
A thiourea additive-based quadruple cation lead halide perovskite with an ultra-large grain size for efficient perovskite solar cells journal January 2019
Enhanced optoelectronic quality of perovskite films with excess CH 3 NH 3 I for high-efficiency solar cells in ambient air journal April 2017
Thermodynamically stabilized β-CsPbI 3 –based perovskite solar cells with efficiencies >18% journal August 2019
Lattice strain causes non-radiative losses in halide perovskites text January 2019
How Methylammonium Cations and Chlorine Dopants Heal Defects in Lead Iodide Perovskites journal January 2018
Luminescent manganese-doped CsPbCl3 perovskite quantum dots journal April 2017
The electronic structure and band interface of cesium bismuth iodide on a titania heterostructure using hard X-ray spectroscopy journal January 2018
Imperfections and their passivation in halide perovskite solar cells text January 2019
High Quality Hybrid Perovskite Semiconductor Thin Films with Remarkably Enhanced Luminescence and Defect Suppression via Quaternary Alkyl Ammonium Salt Based Treatment text January 2017
Photo-induced halide redistribution in organic-inorganic perovskite films. text January 2016
Probing buried recombination pathways in perovskite structures using 3D photoluminescence tomography. text January 2018
Elucidating the Long-range Charge Carrier Mobility in Metal Halide Perovskite Thin Films conference February 2019
Flexible Wire-Shaped Perovskite Photodetector via Joule Heating for Improved Crystallization and Performance journal May 2018
Reducing Detrimental Defects for High‐Performance Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells journal January 2020
Crystallization kinetics and morphology control of formamidinium-cesium mixed-cation lead mixed-halide perovskite via tunability of the colloidal precursor solution conference January 2018
High Open-Circuit Voltages in Tin-Rich Low-Bandgap Perovskite-Based Planar Heterojunction Photovoltaics journal November 2016
Tailoring metal halide perovskites through metal substitution: Influence on photovoltaic and material properties text January 2017
Elucidating the long-range charge carrier mobility in metal halide perovskite thin films text January 2018
Effect of Precursor Stoichiometry on the Performance and Stability of MAPbBr3 Photovoltaic Devices text January 2020
Impurity Tracking Enables Enhanced Control and Reproducibility of Hybrid Perovskite Vapor Deposition journal July 2019
Solvent-Antisolvent Ambient Processed Large Grain Size Perovskite Thin Films for High-Performance Solar Cells journal August 2018
Facile and noninvasive passivation, doping and chemical tuning of macroscopic hybrid perovskite crystals journal March 2020

Similar Records

Making and Breaking of Lead Halide Perovskites
Journal Article · Wed Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Accounts of Chemical Research · OSTI ID:1239810

GeI2 Additive for High Optoelectronic Quality CsPbI3 Quantum Dots and Their Application in Photovoltaic Devices
Journal Article · Mon Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2019 · Chemistry of Materials · OSTI ID:1239810

Strongly Quantum Confined Colloidal Cesium Tin Iodide Perovskite Nanoplates: Lessons for Reducing Defect Density and Improving Stability
Journal Article · Mon Feb 12 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Nano Letters · OSTI ID:1239810

Related Subjects