A two-layer structured PbI2 thin film for efficient planar perovskite solar cells

Abstract

In this paper, a two-layer structured PbI₂ thin film was constructed by the spin-coating procedure using a 0.80 M PbI₂ solution in DMF and subsequent close-spaced vacuum thermal evaporation using PbI₂ powder as a source. The bottom PbI₂ thin film was compact with a sheet-like appearance, parallel to the FTO substrate, and can be easily converted to a compact perovskite thin film to suppress the charge recombination of the electrons of the TiO₂ conduction band and the holes of the spiro-OMeTAD valence band. The top PbI₂ thin film was porous with nano-sheet arrays, perpendicular to the FTO substrate, and can be easily converted to a porous perovskite thin film to improve the hole migration from the perovskite to spiro-OMeTAD and the charge separation at the perovskite/spiro-OMeTAD interface. The planar perovskite solar cells based on the two-layer structured PbI₂ thin film exhibited a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 11.64%, along with an open-circuit voltage of 0.90 V, a short-circuit photocurrent density of 19.29 mA cm⁻² and a fill factor of 0.67.