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Title: Low-Frequency Carrier Kinetics in Perovskite Solar Cells

Journal Article · · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
ORCiD logo;  [1];  [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5]
  1. Huazhong Univ. of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan (China). Wuhan National Lab. for Optoelectronics (WNLO); Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
  2. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
  3. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, and Dept. of Chemistry
  4. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
  5. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Dept. of Chemistry, and Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
+ Show Author Affiliations

Hybrid organic–inorganic halide perovskite solar cells have emerged as leading candidates for third-generation photovoltaic technology. Despite the rapid improvement in power conversion efficiency (PCE) for perovskite solar cells in recent years, the low-frequency carrier kinetics that underlie practical roadblocks such as hysteresis and degradation remain relatively poorly understood. In an effort to bridge this knowledge gap, we perform here correlated low-frequency noise (LFN) and impedance spectroscopy (IS) characterization that elucidates carrier kinetics in operating perovskite solar cells. Specifically, we focus on planar cell geometries with a SnO2 electron transport layer and two different hole transport layers—namely, poly(triarylamine) (PTAA) and spiro-OMeTAD. PTAA and spiro-OMeTAD cells with moderate PCEs of 5–12% possess a Lorentzian feature at ~200 Hz in LFN measurements that corresponds to a crossover from electrode to dielectric polarization. In comparison, spiro-OMeTAD cells with high PCEs (>15%) show 4 orders of magnitude lower LFN amplitude and are accompanied by a cyclostationary process. Through a systematic study of more than a dozen solar cells, we establish a correlation with noise amplitude, PCE, and fill factor. Overall, this work establishes correlated LFN and IS as an effective methodology for quantifying low-frequency carrier kinetics in perovskite solar cells, thereby providing new physical insights that can rationally guide ongoing efforts to improve device performance, reproducibility, and stability.

Research Organization:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Light Energy Activated Redox Processes (LEAP); Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0001059
OSTI ID:
1566563
Journal Information:
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Vol. 11, Issue 15; ISSN 1944-8244
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 23 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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conference June 2013

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