Issue 28, 2017

Current status of electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells: materials and properties

Abstract

Methyl ammonium lead halide-based hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been intensively studied in recent years because of their high efficiency and low processing costs. Although there are limited constraints for choosing the planar electron transport layer (ETL) or mesoscale electron transporting material (ETM), a great deal of effort is required in designing complex nanostructures which are effective as ETL/ETM to achieve high open circuit voltage (Voc) and high fill factor (FF) in PSCs. In this review, various inorganic and organic ETLs, as well as inorganic ETM systems, used for PSCs are summarized. The transport mechanism of electrons in these different ETL/ETM materials is discussed along with their effect on Voc on the basis of energy band diagrams with respect to the perovskite absorber. The authors also discuss the microstructure/nanostructure aspect of mesoscopic ETMs, doping and surface functionalization, and the influence of these parameters on solar cell behaviour, performance, and hysteresis effects. The authors also discussed the microstructure/nanostructure aspect of ETL on shape of current density vs. voltage (JV) hysteresis in this review. Technical issues and recent progress of ETL to improve device efficiency and stability in terms of materials, process, and characterization are summarized.

Graphical abstract: Current status of electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells: materials and properties

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
01 jan 2017
Accepted
27 feb 2017
First published
17 mar 2017
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2017,7, 17044-17062

Current status of electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells: materials and properties

K. Mahmood, S. Sarwar and M. T. Mehran, RSC Adv., 2017, 7, 17044 DOI: 10.1039/C7RA00002B

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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