A Low Temperature Growth of Cu2O Thin Films as Hole Transporting Material for Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract

Copper oxide thin films have been successfully synthesized through a metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) approach starting from the copper bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate), Cu(tmhd)2, complex. Operative conditions of fabrication strongly affect both the composition and morphologies of the copper oxide thin films. The deposition temperature has been accurately monitored in order to stabilize and to produce, selectively and reproducibly, the two phases of cuprite Cu2O and/or tenorite CuO. The present approach has the advantages of being industrially appealing, reliable, and fast for the production of thin films over large areas with fine control of both composition and surface uniformity. Moreover, the methylammonium lead iodide (MAPI) active layer has been successfully deposited on the ITO/Cu2O substrate by the Low Vacuum Proximity Space Effusion (LV-PSE) technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses have been used to characterize the deposited films. The optical band gap (Eg), ranging from 1.99 to 2.41 eV, has been determined through UV-vis analysis, while the electrical measurements allowed to establish the p-type conductivity behavior of the deposited Cu2O thin films with resistivities from 31 to 83 Ω cm and carrier concentration in the order of 1.5–2.8 × 1016 cm−3. These results pave the way for potential applications of the present system as a hole transporting layer combined with a perovskite active layer in emergent solar cell technologies.

Constructing Hybrid Semiconductor Thin‐Films for Advanced Photovoltaics

“…The scalability, tunability, and industrial applicability of MOCVD make it a promising approach for synthesizing copper oxide thin films, highlighting its potential for future device manufacturing. [129] Chemical vapor deposition, in general, offers the advantage of modulating CuÀ O phase composition by adjusting precursor chemistry and operating conditions. [130] Incorporating inorganic materials atop the perovskite layer poses a challenge due to solvent compatibility issues.…”

Optimizing the structure and optoelectronic properties of cuprite thin films via a plasma focus device as a solar cell absorber layer

“…Utilizing eqn (28) 4. Notably, an increase in the number of plasma focus shots was observed to induce an increase in the plasma frequency, while concurrently diminishing the damping frequency.…”

“…A prominent challenge in elevating the efficiency of Cu 2 O-based solar cells resides in fabricating a structurally superior absorber layer, devoid of secondary CuO phases, utilizing a technique conducive for industrial application. 26 Numerous deposition techniques have been investigated for producing Cu 2 O thin films, including Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), 27 Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), 28 thermal evaporation, 29 and sputtering. [30][31][32][33] In the present study, the emphasis is placed on utilizing a plasma focusing device (PFD) for the deposition of Cu 2 O thin films, attributed to the numerous advantages it proffers, such as high ion energy, localized deposition, 34 and potential for scalability, thereby presenting itself as a compelling alternative for the fabrication of superior thin films.…”

“…A prominent challenge in elevating the efficiency of Cu 2 O-based solar cells resides in fabricating a structurally superior absorber layer, devoid of secondary CuO phases, utilizing a technique conducive for industrial application. 26 Numerous deposition techniques have been investigated for producing Cu 2 O thin films, including Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), 27 Metal–Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), 28 thermal evaporation, 29 and sputtering. 30–33…”

SCAPS-FDTD simulation of 20.1 % efficient Perovskite-SnS tandem solar cell based on alternative charge transport layers and Au-nanoparticles

“…This is due to the small activation energy of interfacial recombination, which is the difference between the band gap of the absorber layer and the valence band offset (VBO). The Cu 2 O film, serving as the a hole transport layer in the top solar cell, can be fabricated using various experimental techniques like metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), electrodeposition and sputtering [27,28]. Moreover, the Cs 2 AgBiSbBr 6 LFP absorber layer can be fabricated using a solution processing technique.…”