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Efficient and stable perovskite solar cells with regulated depletion region

Nature Photonics (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Irreversible ion migration from the perovskite layer to the charge transport layer and metal electrodes causes irreversible efficiency loss in perovskite solar cells. Confining the mobile ions within the perovskite layer is a promising strategy to improve the long-term operational stability of solar cells. Here we inhibit the migration of iodide ions out of the perovskite under light illumination by creating a depletion region inside the perovskite layer. Precise control of the doping depth induces an electric field within the perovskite that counteracts ion migration while enhancing carrier separation. Our devices exhibit a certified power conversion efficiency of 24.6% and maintain over 88% of the initial efficiency after 1,920 h of continuous illumination under maximum power point conditions (65 °C in ambient air, following the ISOS-L-2 protocol). The power conversion efficiency returns to more than 94% of its initial value after overnight recovery. When operating under repeated 12 h light on/off cycles for over 10,000 h (solar simulator at 65 °C and ambient air, following the ISOS-LC-2 protocol), the efficiency loss is less than 2%. We expect this method to open up new and effective avenues towards enhancing the long-term stability of high-performance perovskite photovoltaics.

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Fig. 1: Characterization on the regulation of the depletion region.
Fig. 2: Characterization on carrier extraction and device performance.
Fig. 3: Effect of depletion region regulation on inhibition of iodide ion migration.
Fig. 4: Stability test for target and control devices.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (grant nos. 2020YFB1506400 and 2021YFB3800100) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. U20A20245, U21A20171, 11834011 and 12074245). We thank H. Li, Q. Shan for KPFM measurements; R. Wang for TRPL measurements; J. Ding for TOF-SIMS measurements; X. Ding and N. Zhang for XPS and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements; B. Zhu for Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy measurements; Q. Rao for X-ray diffraction measurements; and Z. Bao and Y. Lin for SEM measurement from the Instrumental Analysis Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. We thank X. Liu from the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, for valuable advice on the experiments and paper.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Zhichao Shen, Qifeng Han.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

    Zhichao Shen, Qifeng Han, Xinhui Luo, Yangzi Shen, Yanbo Wang & Liyuan Han

  2. Hunan Key Laboratory of Super-microstructure and Ultrafast Process, School of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha, China

    Yongbo Yuan

  3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

    Yiqiang Zhang

  4. Department of Materials Science and Engineering and California NanoSystems Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Yang Yang

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Contributions

Z.S., Q.H., Y.Y. and L.H. conceived the experiments, performed data analysis and wrote the paper. Z.S. led the fabrication of the solar cells. Y.S. and X.L. helped with the sample preparation for characterization. Y.W., Y.Y. and Y.Z. participated the discussion about the feasibility of the experiment. All authors discussed the results and commented on the paper. Q.H. and L.H. directed and supervised the entire research.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Qifeng Han, Yang Yang or Liyuan Han.

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Nature Photonics thanks Nam-Gyu Park, Michael Saliba and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Characterization, Supplementary Notes 1 and 2, Figs. 1–37 and Tables 1–8.

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Shen, Z., Han, Q., Luo, X. et al. Efficient and stable perovskite solar cells with regulated depletion region. Nat. Photon. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-024-01383-5

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