Semitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells with > 13% Efficiency and 27% Transperancy Using Plasmonic Au Nanorods

Abstract

Semitransparent hybrid perovskites open up applications in windows and building-integrated photovoltaics. One way to achieve semitransparency is by thinning the perovskite film, which has several benefits such as cost efficiency and reduction of lead. However, this will result in a reduced light absorbance; therefore, to compromise this loss, it is possible to incorporate plasmonic metal nanostructures, which can trap incident light and locally amplify the electromagnetic field around the resonance peaks. Here, Au nanorods (NRs), which are not detrimental for the perovskite and whose resonance peak overlaps with the perovskite band gap, are deposited on top of a thin (∼200 nm) semitransparent perovskite film. These semitransparent perovskite solar cells with 27% average visible transparency show enhancement in the open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) and fill factor, demonstrating 13.7% efficiency (improved by ∼6% compared to reference cells). Space-charge limited current, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Mott–Schottky analyses shed more light on the trap density, nonradiative recombination, and defect density in these Au NR post-treated semitransparent perovskite solar cells. Furthermore, Au NR implementation enhances the stability of the solar cell under ambient conditions. These findings show the ability to compensate for the light harvesting of semitransparent perovskites using the plasmonic effect.

Breaking the 25% Transparency and 15% Efficiency limits of Perovskite Solar Cells in a broad angular range of sun-light incidence

“…The transmittance properties of the analysed electrodes make them extremely appealing for the development of semi-transparent PSCs. We have used the DMD electrode with the lowest AVR (namely DMD40) as top electrode of a FAPbI3 PSC in which the following architecture is used: ITO/SnO2/ FAPbI3/spiro-MeOTAD/topelectrode [34,35]. A scheme of the realized devices is reported in Fig.…”

Strategies to Improve the Photochromic Properties and Photovoltaic Performances of Naphthopyran Dyes in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

“…[9] However, semi-transparent solar cells yield an inherently poorer performance than their opaque counterparts since they only convert a lower fraction of the incident photons. [10] Additionally, in order to integrate them into building facades as windows, they have to be highly translucent; thus, a compromise between transparency and efficiency must be found. Nonetheless, regardless of technology utilised, semi-transparent solar cells possess an optical transmission that is chosen and fixed during the manufacturing process.…”

Optoelectronic Enhancement of Perovskite Solar Cells through the Incorporation of Plasmonic Particles

“…One valid approach is the incorporation of plasmonic metals (PMs) into the ETL, which promotes light concentration and leads to better light scattering and electron–hole disassociation [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. PMs such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu) give rise to vivid colors due to their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) [ 42 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. The LSPR lends merit to the solar cells via light scattering and the absorbing layers [ 42 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ].…”

“…PMs such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu) give rise to vivid colors due to their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) [ 42 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. The LSPR lends merit to the solar cells via light scattering and the absorbing layers [ 42 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ]. The resulting substantial increase in light scattering can be attributed to the non-radiative decay of the PMs transferred from the light absorption layer to the main hot electron–hole pairs, which are then immediately promoted to the secondary electron–hole pair [ 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 ].…”