Enhancing the stability of inverted perovskite solar cells through Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticles hole transporting material

Abstract

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have burst into photovoltaic (PV) research, revolutionising it and demonstrating that they can achieve performances comparable to technologies already on the market. Despite that, the major limitation of PSCs' commercialisation is their poor environmental stability. Inorganic carriers transporting materials have gained attention for enhancing PSCs' durability due to their superior stability and non-hygroscopic nature. Among them, kesterite Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) is a promising inorganic hole transporting material (HTM) thanks to its optimal electronic properties, non-toxic, abundant elements, and simple solution deposition methods. Herein, the effect on the stability of inverted PSCs employing CZTS nanoparticles (NPs) as HTM is investigated by X-ray photoelectron and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, together with steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopies. Special attention was given to the alteration in the PV performances over time of the CZTS-based device compared to a control device with a common organic HTM. The enhanced stability of the CZTS NPs-based devices in opposition to degradation of the devices with a [2-(3,6-dimethoxy-9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (MeO-2PACz) self-assembled monolayer as HTM was demonstrated through solar simulator measurements and external quantum efficiency. The efficiency of a CZTS-based p–i–n PSC increased by 34% after three weeks, while the efficiency of the organic HTM-based device decreased by 16% during the same period. Furthermore, CZTS-based PSCs showed a drop-in efficiency of 80% after four days under a humidity test at 70% RH, while the efficiency of the organic HTM-based devices dropped by 80% after two days under the same conditions. Moreover, analysis of the photoluminescence spectra reveals no modification of the CZTS-based PSCs.