Improved Sb₂S₃/TiO₂ Nanoarray Heterojunction Solar Cells by an Insulating Hole-Selective Tunneling Layer

Abstract

Photovoltaic technology for sustainable energy production on a large scale is mainly limited by the lack of solar cells with efficient, stable, and low-cost characteristics. Antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) has attracted intensive attention as a potential photon-absorbing material for efficient and stable inorganic heterojunction solar cells due to its feasible preparation. Here, a hole-selective tunneling interfacial engineering method is developed to improve the performance of solar cells based on solution-processed Sb2S3/TiO2 nanoarray heterojunction (Sb2S3/TiO2-NHJ), for which an ultrathin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film deposited into Sb2S3/TiO2-NHJ serves as the insulating hole-selective tunneling interfacial layer in the solar cells. It is found that the hole-selective tunneling PMMA interfacial layer effectively blocks the channels for interfacial recombination of photogenerated charge carriers, and the origins for the PMMA interfacial layer to boost the overall device performance get elucidated.

A comprehensive insight into deep-level defect engineering in antimony chalcogenide solar cells

“…Furthermore, owing to the better band-alignment (with Sb 2 X 3 ), physicochemical robustness, and low price (4$$ per g) of MnS, it seems to be a better alternative to Spiro-OMeTAD powder (500$$ per g) in Sb 2 X 3 solar cells. 131 Liu et al 132 employed an ultrathin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film as a hole-selective tunneling layer to modify the Sb 2 S 3 /spiro-OMeTAD interface in Sb 2 S 3 -based nano-array solar cells. As illustrated in Fig.…”

Cation Exchange-Assisted Hot Injection for PbSe Nanocrystalline Structures Anchored to Sb2S3: Constructing a Deeply Buried Back Interface for Highly Efficient Solar Cells

“…13 Liu et al introduced an ultrathin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film between Sb 2 S 3 and Spiro-OMeTAD, which can effectively block the interface recombination channel of photogenerated carriers and significantly improve the device performance. 14 Wu et al introduced a bithiophene-cored compound, made the thiophene and the Sb atom interact to passivate the defect state, and increased the efficiency from 6.25 to 7.12%. 15 tion; however, the physical absorption of Sb 2 S 3 /BCM delivers a weak interface link for most BCM coating technologies.…”

“…For example, Han et al inserted a SbCl 3 layer between Sb 2 S 3 and Spiro-OMeTAD, which effectively reduced the formation of defects and achieved a PCE of 7.1% . Liu et al introduced an ultrathin poly­(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film between Sb 2 S 3 and Spiro-OMeTAD, which can effectively block the interface recombination channel of photogenerated carriers and significantly improve the device performance . Wu et al.…”