Academic literature on the topic 'Perovskite Solar Cells Hybrid perovskites'

Over the past decade, lead halide perovskites have emerged as one of the leading photovoltaic materials due to their long carrier lifetimes, high absorption coefficients, high tolerance to defects, and facile processing methods. With a bandgap of ~1.6 eV, lead halide perovskite solar cells have achieved power conversion efficiencies in excess of 25%. Despite this, poor material stability along with lead contamination remains a significant barrier to commercialization. Recently, low-dimensional perovskites, where at least one of the structural dimensions is measured on the nanoscale, have demonstrated significantly higher stabilities, and although their power conversion efficiencies are slightly lower, these materials also open up the possibility of quantum-confinement effects such as carrier multiplication. Furthermore, both bulk perovskites and low-dimensional perovskites have been demonstrated to form hybrids with silicon nanocrystals, where numerous device architectures can be exploited to improve efficiency. In this review, we provide an overview of perovskite solar cells, and report the current progress in nanoscale perovskites, such as low-dimensional perovskites, perovskite quantum dots, and perovskite-nanocrystal hybrid solar cells.

This study is an emphasis on the metal halide perovskite solar cells that are susceptible to factors that influence their power conversion efficiency (PCE). Perovskite solar cells, also known as PSCs, have been shown to have a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) due to a number of various factors. As they reached a power conversion efficiency of 25%, solar cells based on metal halide perovskite were a game-changer in the quest for photovoltaic performance. A flurry of activity in the fields of structure design, materials chemistry, process engineering, and device physics has helped the solid-state perovskite solar cell to become a leading contender for the next generation of solar energy harvesters in the world today. This follows up on the ground-breaking development of the solid-state perovskite solar cell in 2012. This cell has a higher efficiency compared to commercial silicon or other organic and inorganic solar cells, as well as a lower cost of materials and processes. However, it has the disadvantage that these high efficiencies can only be obtained with lead-based perovskites, which increases the cost of the cell. As a result of this fact, a new study area on lead-free metal halide perovskites was established, and it is now exhibiting a remarkable degree of vibrancy. This provided us with the impetus to review this burgeoning area of research and discuss possible alternative elements according to current theoretical and practical investigations that might be utilized to replace lead in metal halide perovskites as well as the features of the perovskite materials that correspond to these elements.

Recently, perovskite solar cells have attracted tremendous attention due to their excellent power conversion efficiency, low cost, simple fabrications, and high photovoltaic performance. Furthermore, the perovskite solar cells are lightweight and possess thin film and semitransparency. However, the nonuniformity in perovskite layer constitutes a major setback to the operation mechanism, performance, reproducibility, and degradation of perovskite solar cells. Therefore, one of the main challenges in planar perovskite devices is the fabrication of high quality films with controlled morphology and least amount of pin-holes for high performance thin film perovskite devices. The poor reproducibility in perovskite solar cells hinders the accurate fabrication of practical devices for use in real world applications, and this is primarily as a result of the inability to control the morphology of perovskites, leading to large variability in the characteristics of perovskite solar cells. Hence, the focus of research in perovskites has been mostly geared towards improving the morphology and crystallization of perovskite absorber by selecting the optimal annealing condition considering the effect of humidity. Here we report a controlled ambient condition that is necessary to grow uniform perovskite crystals. A best PCE of 7.5% was achieved along with a short-circuit current density of 15.2 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 0.81 V, and a fill factor of 0.612 from the perovskite solar cell prepared under 60% relative humidity.

Organic–inorganic metal-halide-based hybrid perovskite solar cells (SCs) have attracted a great deal of attention from researchers around the globe with their certified power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) having now increased to 25.2%. Nevertheless, organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskite SCs suffer the serious drawback of instability with respect to moisture and heat. However, all-inorganic perovskite SCs have emerged as promising candidates to tackle the thermal instability problem. Since the introduction of all-inorganic perovskite materials to the field of perovskite photovoltaics in 2014, a plethora of research articles has been published focusing on this research topic. The PCE of all-inorganic PSCs has climbed to a record 18.4% and research is underway to enhance this. In this review, I survey the gradual progress of all-inorganic perovskites, their material design, the fabrication of high-quality perovskite films, energetics, major challenges and schemes opening new horizons toward commercialization. Furthermore, techniques to stabilize cubically phased low-bandgap inorganic perovskites are highlighted, as this is an indispensable requirement for stable and highly efficient SCs. In addition, I explain the various energy loss mechanisms at the interface and in the bulk of perovskite and charge-selective layers, and recap previously published reports on the curtailment of charge-carrier recombination losses.

Although perovskite solar cells have achieved the highest 25.2% efficiency, they suffer from poor stability because the organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites are easily decomposed under the attacks of oxygen, moisture, heat and ultraviolet light.

Perovskites are currently on everyone’s lips and have made it in high-impact scientific journals because of the revolutionary hybrid organic–inorganic lead halide perovskite materials for solar cells [...]

Lead-free double perovskites have been considered as a potential environmentally friendly photovoltaic material for substituting the hybrid lead halide perovskites due to their high stability and nontoxicity. Here, lead-free double perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 films are initially fabricated by single-source evaporation deposition under high vacuum condition. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy characterization show that the high crystallinity, flat, and pinhole-free double perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 films were obtained after post-annealing at 300 °C for 15 min. By changing the annealing temperature, annealing time, and film thickness, perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 solar cells with planar heterojunction structure of FTO/TiO2/Cs2AgBiBr6/Spiro-OMeTAD/Ag achieve an encouraging power conversion efficiency of 0.70%. Our preliminary work opens a feasible approach for preparing high-quality double perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 films wielding considerable potential for photovoltaic application.

[ES] El objetivo principal de esta tesis es contribuir al avance de nuevas técnicas de elaboración con bajo coste, utilizando materiales tipo de cobre, indio, galio y selenio CIGS y Perovskita para aplicaciones en energía solar fotovoltaica. CIGS parecen ser adecuadas ya que son de bajo costo de producción y se han reportado eficiencias de conversión del 23,35%. Por otro lado, las perovskitas híbridas de haluros de plomo orgánicos-inorgánicos han aparecido como nuevos materiales excepcionales para celdas solares, especialmente porque la eficiencia de las celdas solares basadas en perovskita ha aumentado del 3.8% al 22.7% en menos de un lustro. Este trabajo se ha dedicado a experimentar sobre la elaboración y caracterización de CIGS y los perovskitas de metilamonio de yoduro de plomo de (MAPbI3) y formamidinio de yoduro de plomo (FAPbI3), que se utilizo tanto en la aplicación a las células solares de perovskitas y en las células Tándem CIGS-perovskita. Las películas se caracterizaron por difracción de rayos X, espectroscopía Raman, microscopía electrónica de barrido, análisis de espectroscopía de energía dispersiva, microscopía de fuerza atómica, transmisión electrónica microscopía, fotoluminiscencia y espectroscopia UV-Vis. En las capas de CIGS depositadas por electrodeposición se investigó el efecto de diferentes parámetros, También investigamos en detalle el efecto del contacto posterior en las propiedades estructurales y ópticas de CIGS. Constatamos que el tipo de contacto posterior tiene un efecto significativo en el rendimiento posterior de las películas delgadas CIGS. Además, estudiamos la técnica de espray pirólisis para producir películas CIGS. Se estudió el proceso de recocido, que es el factor clave para mejorar el rendimiento de las células solares. Se elaboraron diferentes películas delgadas constituidas de nuestro dispositivo CdZnS/CdS/CIGS/Mo eso utilizó una capa conductora transparente de CdZnS para minimizar la alineación de la interfaz. Por otro lado, se analizó el proceso de cristalización y la estabilidad de las capas MAPbI3. Las capas de MAPbI3 se trataron añadiendo antisolvente a diferentes velocidades. Durante el tratamiento se producen intercambios complejos que influencian muchas propiedades fisicoquímicas. Se investigaron las propiedades ópticas y eléctricas de las películas de MAPbI3. Para mejorar la estabilidad de MAPbI3, se incorporó tetrabutilamonio (TBA), observando una mejora en la formación de la estructura perovskita que crece en la dirección preferente (110). La fase cristalina de MAPbI3 dopada con TBA presenta mejor cristalinidad, gran tamaño de grano, morfología superficial sin poros lo que es adecuado para la fabricación de dispositivos optoelectrónicas con mayor rendimiento. Además, hemos identificado el impacto de TBA en las propiedades foto físicas de MAPbI3. En las muestras de TBA:MAPbI3 aumenta la intensidad de la fotoluminiscencia al reducir la densidad de los estados de trampa y la absorción óptica muestra un cambio significativo hacia longitudes de onda más largas y la banda prohibida óptica varió de 1.8 a 1.52 eV. Finalmente, las muestras dopadas con 5% TBA mejoraron su estabilidad y se encontró que después de 15 días la estabilidad permanecía excelente en una humedad de ~ 60%. Por otra parte, investigamos el efecto de guanidinio (GA) sobre las propiedades estructurales y ópticas de FAPbI3. La relación entre la fase a de perovskita deseable y la fase indeseable y se ha estudiado en función del contenido de GA. Se comprobó que el dopaje con GA es eficaz en el control de la relación de fases a/y y luego en la estabilización de la fase a. Los resultados muestran que añadiendo una cantidad adecuada del 10% GA conduce a una mejora de película de perovskita que se evidencia en la homogeneidad de la fase a estable, granos de mayor tamaño y capas libres de poros. Además, 10% GA:FaPbI3 demostraron una excelente estabilidad después de ser envejecidas durante 15 días en un ambiente con humedad relativa del 60%.
[EN] The thesis work presented is part of the work in the Laboratory of New Materials for Photovoltaic Energy in the main target to use low cost techniques for elaboration of Perovskite and Copper, indium, gallium, and selenium CIGS materials for photovoltaic application. Organic-inorganic lead halides perovskites have currently and exceptionally appeared as new materials for low cost thin film solar cells specially that the efficiency of perovskite based solar cell have jumped from 3.8% to 22.7% in short time.in other hand, CIGS solar cells record 23.35% efficiency and still can be boosted. Here, we report the elaboration and characterization of CIGS as well as methylammonium lead iodide perovskites MAPbI3 and formamidinuim iodide lead iodide perovskites FAPbI3 absorbers for perovskite-based solar cells and Tandem Perovskites/ CIGS. The thin films prepared were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Photoluminescence analysis (PL) and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The first stage was devoted for the effect of different parameters on the growth of CIGS by electrodeposition and we investigate the impact of different back contact in structural and optical proprieties. In a second stage, we report the growth of CIGS films by spray pyrolysis, we studied the effect of experimental parameter also the annealing process which is the key factor for improving the performance of solar cells,subsequently we elaborated different films constituted CdZnS/CdS/CIGS/Mo solar cells, the approach is to change the toxic ZnO by using a transparent, conductive CdZnS layer. In other hand, MAPbI3 film was investigated in order to optimize the chemical composition and to study the crystallization process also to get sight about the stability of perovskite materials to meet the requirement of their application as an active layer in perovskite solar cell. For this purpose. the MAPbI3 film surface was treated by adding diethyl ether antisolvent with different rates. during the treatment complex exchanges are appearing at the same time under the influence of quite a lot of physicochemical properties. A whole understanding of this topic is critically important for improving solar cell performance. MAPbI3 doped by the tetrabutylammonium TBA is boosting the formation of perovskite structure, leading to a higher orientation along the (110) and shows better crystallinity, large grain size, pinhole-free, which is suitable for the manufacturing of the optoelectronic devices with higher performance. Also, we have identified the impact of TBA in the photo-physical properties, we have noticed that the TBA improve the photoluminescence emission by reducing the density of trap states and the optical absorption indicates a significant shift to the lower wavelength and optical bandgap varied from 1.8 to 1.52 eV. Finally, the stability was explored for 5% TBA, it found that after 15 days the stability remained excellent in relative humidity of ~60%. These results would be helpful for realizing stable and high performance MAPbI3-based devices. Furthermore, we inspect the effect of monovalent cation substitution of Guanidinium (GA) on the structural and optical properties of FAPbI3 thin films perovskites. The ratio between the desirable a-phase and the undesirable y yellow phase is studied as a function of GA content. GA doping is shown to be efficient in the control of a/y phases ratio and then in the stabilization of the a-FaPbI3 phase. We qualitatively evaluate the impact of 10% of guanidinium on the phase composition and microstructure of films. The results show that an adequate amount of 10% GA:FaPbI3 leads to a homogeneous perovskite film with stable a phase, large grains, and free pinholes. 10% GA: FaPbI3 films demonstrate excellent stability after aging for 15 days in relative humidity of~60%.
[CA] L'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi és contribuir a l'avanç de noves tècniques d'elaboració de baix cost, fent servir materials d'aliatges del tipus de coure, indi, gal·li i seleni (CIGS) i perovskites, per a aplicacions en energia solar fotovoltaica. El CIGS sembla ser adequat ja que són de baix cost de producció i s'han reportat eficiències de conversió del 23,35%. D'altra banda, les perovskites híbrides d'halurs de plom orgànics-inorgànics han aparegut com a nous materials excepcionals per cel·les solars, especialment perquè l'eficiència de les cel·les solars basades en perovskites ha augmentat del 3.8% al 22.7% en menys d'un lustre. En el present treball, reportem l'elaboració i caracterització de CIGS y de perovskitas de iodur de plom de metilamoni (MAPbI3) i de iodur de plom de formamidini (FaPbI3) per a les cèl·lules solars de CIGS i tàndem Perovskites/CIGS. En les capes de CIGS dipositades per electrodeposició es va investigar l'efecte dels diferents paràmetres sobre el procés d'electrodeposició, així com l'efecte del contacte posterior sobre les propietats estructurals i òptiques del CIGS. Ens trobem que el tipus de contacte posterior té un efecte significatiu en la posterior interpretació de pel·lícules primes CIGS. A més, vam estudiar la tècnica de polvorització de la piròlisi per produir pel·lícules de CIGS. Es va estudiar el procés de recuit, que és el factor clau per millorar el rendiment de les cèl·lules solars. Es van produir diferents pel·lícules fines formades pel nostre dispositiu CdZnS/CdS/CIGS/Mo que utilitzaven una capa conductiva CdZnS transparent per minimitzar l'alineació de la interfície. D'altra banda, es van investigar perovskites MAPbI3, amb la finalitat d'optimitzar la composició química i estudiar el procés de cristal·lització també per a conèixer l'estabilitat dels materials de perovskita. la cristal·lització s'aconsegueix alentint la solubilitat en una solució saturada mitjançant l'addició d'una quantitat diferent de l'antisolvent d'èter dietílic. Durant el tractament apareixen al mateix temps intercanvis complexos sota la influència de moltes propietats fisicoquímiques. Una comprensió completa d'aquest tema és de vital importància per a millorar el rendiment. Amb l'objectiu principal d'augmentar l'estabilitat de MAPbI3, el tetrabutilamoni (TBA) es pot incorporar a MAPbI3, impulsant la formació de l'estructura de perovskita, la qual cosa porta a una major orientació al llarg de (110). MAPbI3 dopades amb TBA presenten una millora de la cristalinitat, major grandària, la qual cosa és adequada per a la fabricació de dispositius optoelectròniques de major rendiment. A més, hem identificat l'impacte de TBA en les propietats foto físiques de MAPbI3. Hem notat que el dopatge amb TBA millora tant l'emissió de la fotoluminiscència en reduir la densitat dels estats de trampes com l'absorció òptica on apareix un canvi significatiu de la banda òptica prohibida cap a longituds d'ona més llargues que significa disminuir l'energia del gap, que va variar de 1.8 a 1.52 eV. Finalment, es va explorar l'estabilitat per les perovsquites dopades amb 5%TBA. Es va trobar que després de 15 dies l'estabilitat romania excel·lent en un humitat de 60%. A més, hem estudiat FAPbI3 com un dels materials de perovskita més atractius. Hem investigat l'efecte de la substitució de guanidini (GA) sobre les propietats estructurals i òptiques de FAPbI3. La relació entre la fase a de perovskita desitjable i la fase indesitjable y es va estudiar en funció del contingut de GA. Es mostra que el dopatge amb GA és eficaç en el control de la relació de fases a /y i després en l'estabilització de la fase a-FaPbI3. Els resultats mostren que una quantitat adequada de 10% GA condueix a una pel·lícula homogènia amb fase a estable, grans grans lliures de porus i forats. Les pel·lícules de 10% GA:FaPbI3 demostraren una excel·lent estabilitat després de l'envelliment durant 15 dies en un ambient humit (humitat relativa de 60%).
Bouich, A. (2020). Study and Characterization of Hybrid Perovskites and Copper-Indium-Gallium Selenide thin films for Tandem Solar Cells [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/160621
TESIS

Metal-halide perovskites show great promise as solution-processable semiconductors for efficient solar cells and LEDs. In particular, the diffusion range of photogenerated carriers is unexpectedly long and the luminescence yield is remarkably high. While much effort has been made to improve device performance, the barriers to improving charge transport and recombination properties remain unidentified. I first explore charge transport by investigating a back-contact architecture for measurement. In collaboration with the Snaith group at Oxford, we develop a new architecture to isolate charge carriers. We prepare thin films of perovskite semiconductors over laterally-separated electron- and hole-selective materials of SnOₓ and NiOₓ, respectively. Upon illumination, electrons (holes) generated over SnOₓ (NiOₓ) rapidly transfer to the buried collection electrode, leaving holes (electrons) to diffuse laterally as majority carriers in the perovskite layer. We characterise charge transport parameters of electrons and holes, separately, and demonstrate that grain boundaries do not prevent charge transport. Our results show that the low mobilities found in applied-field techniques do not reflect charge diffusivity in perovskite solar cells at operating conditions. We then use the back-contact architecture to investigate recombination under large excess of one charge carrier type. Recombination velocities under these conditions are found to be below 2 cm s⁻¹, approaching values of high quality silicon and an order of magnitude lower than under common bipolar conditions. Similarly, diffusion lengths of electrons and holes exceed 12 μm, an order of magnitude higher than reported in perovskite devices to date. We report back-contact solar cells with short-circuit currents as high as 18.4 mA cm⁻², giving 70% external charge-collection efficiency. We then explore the behaviour of charge carriers in continuously illuminated metal-halide perovskite devices. We show that continuous illumination of perovskite devices gives rise to a segregated charge carrier population, and we find that the distance photo-induced charges travel increases significantly under these conditions. Finally, we examine intermittancy in the photoluminescence intensity of metal-halide perovskite films.

Depuis 5 ans, les pérovskites hybrides organiques-inorganiques sont apparues comme une nouvelle classe de semiconducteurs possédant des propriétés optoélectroniques très intéressantes pour les dispositifs photovoltaïques et émetteurs de lumière. Cette thèse porte sur une étude expérimentale de spectroscopie optique, qui s’inscrit dans le champ d’exploration des propriétés optiques et des effets excitoniques des pérovskites hybrides CH3NH3PbX3 avec X = I ou Br. Nous avons étudié les propriétés optiques de couches minces déposées par spin-coating et de monocristaux élaborés en solution. Les couches minces présentent une structure granulaire et une densité élevée de défauts qui induisent une grande variabilité des propriétés optiques. L’étude des monocristaux nous a permis de mettre en évidence les propriétés intrinsèques du matériau : émission d’excitons libres, couplage électron-phonon, dynamique de recombinaison des porteurs de charge. De plus, nous avons exploré l’impact de la transition de phase orthorhombique-tétragonale sur les propriétés optiques de CH3NH3PbI3. Enfin, nous avons quantifié l’effet de la réabsorption sur les propriétés d’émission des pérovskites hybrides. L’estimation précise de cet effet est particulièrement importante pour l’interprétation des propriétés optiques des pérovskites hybrides et explique la grande hétérogénéité des résultats dans la littérature
In the last five years, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have emerged as a novel class of semiconductors owing to their interesting electronic and optical properties for photovoltaic and light-emitting devices. This thesis reports an experimental study using optical spectroscopy to explore the optical properties and excitonic effects of hybrid perovskites such as CH3NH3PbX3 with X = I or Br.We studied the optical properties of spin-coated thin films and solution processed single crystals. Thin films present a granular structure and a high density of defects which induce a great variability of the optical properties. The study of single crystals allows us to highlight the intrinsic properties of material: free exciton emission, electron-phonon coupling and charge carriers recombination dynamics. Besides, we have investigated the impact of the orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition on the optical properties of CH3NH3PbI3. Finally, we have quantified the effect of reabsorption on the emission properties of hybrid perovskites. The accurate estimate of this effect is particularly important for the interpretation of the optical properties of hybrid perovskites and explains the great heterogeneity of the results in the literature

Les pérovskites hybrides célèbrent cette année leurs 10e anniversaire dans le domaine du photovoltaïque. En plus de la progression inégalée des rendements des cellules solaires, les pérovskites ont des propriétés optoélectroniques ajustables et peuvent être fabriquées par des procédés bas coûts, ce qui en fait de sérieuses candidates pour les cellules solaires multijunctions. Le réseau cristallin caractéristique des pérovskites hybrides offre une certaine liberté, supportant l’introduction partielle de cations et d’ions halogénures multiples. L’ajustement de la composition d’un matériau pérovskite se traduit par un ajustement de ces propriétés électroniques dont notamment sa structure de bandes. En adaptant la composition il est possible d’obtenir un matériau pérovskite avec une bande interdite de 1,7 eV qui serait parfaitement adapté pour une cellule tandem à base de Silicium cristallin. Les films minces de pérovskites peuvent être fabriqués par une grande diversité de techniques de dépôt, à partir de précurseurs ‘bon marché’ (CH3NH3I et PbI2 par exemple), par des procédés à basse température. Même si la grande majorité des films de pérovskites sont obtenus par la méthode d’enduction centrifuge, celle-ci ne permet pas l’obtention de films homogènes, sur grandes surfaces et de façon répétable. Etant donné l’enjeu industriel qui attend les pérovskites et l’intérêt croissant pour les structures tandems Silicium/Pérovskite, les méthodes sans solvant semblent plus adaptées. Déjà très largement utilisé dans l’industrie des OLEDs, le procédé de coévaporation thermique semble constituer une solution commercialement viable. Publiée pour la première fois en 2013, la synthèse par coévaporation des pérovskites est pour le moment encore étudiée par peu de groupes, car nécessitant des équipements plus coûteux. La présente thèse vise à mettre en place et développer la technique de coévaporation pour la fabrication de films de pérovskites hybrides pour des applications en cellules solaires.Afin d’évaluer la faisabilité du procédé, nous avons commencé notre travail sur un réacteur de démonstration, ce qui nous a permis d’appréhender la réponse à la sublimation des deux précurseurs. Nous avons très vite identifié le comportement du sel organique CH3NH3I comme étant problématique car difficilement contrôlable (s’évaporant sous forme de « nuage »), comme nous l’avions lu dans la littérature. En six mois d’utilisation de ce réacteur, nous avons fabriqué des films de pérovskites ayant permis d’atteindre des rendements de 9% sur des cellules solaires, malheureusement avec une faible reproductibilité (que nous expliquons en partie par le caractère aléatoire de l’évaporation du composé organique CH3NH3I). Nous nous sommes trouvés dans l’incapacité de comprendre plus en profondeur le procédé à cause d’un manque de fonctionnalités de l’équipement. Grâce à ces différents retours d’expérience nous avons pu concevoir, en étroite collaboration avec l’équipementier, un réacteur semi-industriel dédié à la fabrication de films de perovskites par coévaporation. Suite à sa mise en place, nous nous somme focalisé sur la problématique de la reproductibilité dans nos expériences en essayant de diminuer l’impact du nuage organique. Bien que les efficacités atteintes en cellules solaires pour des films coévaporés fussent moindres que pour des films déposés par la technique classique d’enduction centrifuge, nous soupçonnions néanmoins une meilleure homogénéité des films obtenus par voie sèche. Nous avons ainsi intégré à cette thèse une étude comparative voie liquide/voie sèche par le biais d’une technique de spectromicroscopie rayons X en Synchrotron
Hybrid perovskites celebrate this year their 10-year anniversary in the photovoltaic field. Besides the unprecedented rise in solar cells efficiencies, perovskite materials have tunable optical properties and can be manufactured at low cost, making them very promising candidates for the high efficiency, multijunction solar cells strategy. Perovskite crystal structure offers a relative degree of freedom, allowing the partial integration of multiple cations and halide ions. This chemical composition tuning translates into a bandgap tuning. Through fine chemical engineering, the 1.7 eV requirement for a c-Si-based tandem device can be achieved. Perovskite thin films can be prepared by a large variety of deposition techniques, from low cost precursors (CH3NH3I and PbI2 for instance), through low-temperature processes. While most of the reported works on perovskite thin films are based on the basic wet-process spincoating technique, this latter hardly allows large scale, homogeneous and reproducible deposition. With the future challenge of industrialization and the increasing interest for the Silicon/Perovskite tandem approach, solvent-free methods appear more suitable. Already widely implemented in the OLED industry, coevaporation stands as a viable option for perovskites’ future. Reported for the first time in 2013, coevaporated perovskites are still scarcely studied compared to wet-based techniques, requiring more expensive set ups. In the present thesis, we implemented and developed the coevaporation process to fabricate perovskite thin films for solar cells applications.Starting off on a proof-of-concept reactor to assess the feasibility of the technique, we got accustomed to the perovskite precursors behaviour and identify very early on the organic precursor to be hardly manageable, as reported in the literature. In six months, we were nonetheless able to obtain nice perovskite films leading to 9% efficient photovoltaic devices, unfortunately with a poor reproducibility that we think to be partially due to the cloud vapour behaviour of CH3NH3I. We eventually found ourselves missing some features on the equipment, preventing us from accurately get a grasp on the process. From this feedback we then designed, hand in hand with the manufacturer, a dedicated semi-industrial equipment for perovskite coevaporation. Following its implementation, we then focused on establishing the reproducibility of the method, trying to mitigate the parasitic effect of the organic compound. Even though the efficiencies in solar cells were still slightly lower for coevaporated perovskites, with respect to classical spincoated ones, we expected the material homogeneity to be in favour of the vacuum-based process. We then eventually integrated to this thesis a comparative study between wet- and dry-processed perovskite films using a Synchrotron-based X-ray spectromicroscopy technique

Over the last five years hybrid organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites have attracted strong interest in the solar cell community as a result of their high power conversion efficiency and the solid opportunity to realise a low-cost as well as industry-scalable technology. Nevertheless, several aspects of this novel class of materials still need to be explored and the level of our understanding is rapidly and constantly evolving, from month to month. This dissertation reports investigations of perovskite solar cells with a particular focus on their local chemical composition. The analytical characterisation of such devices is very challenging due to the intrinsic instability of the organic component in the nanostructured compounds building up the cell. STEM-EDX (Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) was employed to resolve at the nanoscale the morphology and the elemental composition of the devices. Firstly, a powerful procedure, involving FIB (Focus Ion Beam) sample preparation, the acquisition of STEM-EDX maps and the application of cutting edge post-processing data techniques based on multivariate analysis was developed and tested. The application of this method has drastically improved the quality of the signal that can be extracted from perovskite thin films before the onset of beam-induced transformations. Morphology, composition and interfaces in devices deposited by using different methodologies and external conditions were then explored in detail by combining multiple complementary advanced characterisation tools. The observed variations in the nanostructure of the cells were related to different photovoltaic performance, providing instructive indications for the synthesis and fabrication routes of the devices. Finally, the main degradation processes that affect perovskite solar cells were probed. STEM-EDX was used in conjunction with the application of in situ heating, leading to the direct observation of elemental species migration within the device, reported here for the first time with nanometric spatial resolution. Further analyses, involving a set of experiments aimed to study the effects of air exposure and light soaking on the cells, were designed and performed, providing evidence of the main pathways leading to the drastic drop in the device performance.

This thesis presents a study of hybrid solar cells, specifically looking at various methods which can be employed in order to increase the power conversion efficiency of these devices. The experiments and results contained herein also present a very accurate picture of how rapidly the field of hybrid solar cells has progressed within the past three years. Chapters 1 and 2 present the background and motivation for the investigations undertaken, as well as the relevant theory underpinning solar cell operation. Chapter 2 also gives a brief review of the literature pertinent to the main types of devices investigated in this thesis; dye-sensitised solar cells, semiconductor sensitized solar cells and perovskite solar cells. Descriptions of the synthetic procedures, as well as the details of device fabrication and any measurement techniques used are outlined in Chapter 3. The first set of experimental results is presented in Chapter 4. This chapter outlines the synthesis of mesoporous single crystals (MSCs) of anatase TiO₂ as well as an investigation of its electronic properties. Having shown that this material has superior electronic properties to the conventionally used nanoparticle films, they were then integrated into low temperature processed dye-sensitised solar cells and achieved power conversion efficiencies of > 3%, exhibiting electron transport rates which were orders of magnitude higher than those obtained for the high temperature processed control films. Chapter 5 further investigates the use of MSCs in photovoltaic devices, this time utilising a more strongly absorbing inorganic sensitiser, Sb₂S₃. Utilising the readily tunable pore size of MSCs, these Sb₂S₃ devices showed an increase in voltage and fill factor which can be attributed to a decrease in recombination within these devices. This chapter also presents the use of Sb₂S₃ in the meso-superstructured configuration. This device architecture showed consistently higher voltages suggesting that in this architecture, charge transport occurs through the absorber and not the mesoporous scaffold. Chapters 6 and 7 focus on the use of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites in photovoltaic devices. In Chapter 6 the mixed halide, lead-based perovskite, CH₃NH₃PbI_3-xCl_x is employed in a planar heterojunction device architecture. The effects of Lewis base passivation on this material are investigated by determining the photoluminescence (PL) lifetimes and quantum efficiencies of treated and untreated films. It is found that passivating films of this material using Lewis bases causes an increase in the PLQE at low fluences as well as increasing the PL lifetime. By globally fitting these results to a model the trap densities are extracted and it is found that using these surface treatments decreases the trap density of the perovskite films. Finally, these treatments are used in complete solar cells resulting in increased power conversion efficiencies and an improvement in the stabilised power output of the devices. Chapter 7 describes the materials synthesis and characterisation of the tin-based perovskite CH₃NH₃SnI₃ and presents the first operational, lead-free perovskite solar cell. The work presented in this thesis describes significant advances in the field of hybrid solar cells, specifically with regards to improvements made to the nanostructured electrode, and the development and implementation of more highly absorbing sensitizers. The improvements discussed here will prove to be quite important in the drive towards exploiting solar power as a clean, affordable source of energy.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD
The organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites such as methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) or mixed halide MAPbI3-xClx (x is usually very small) have emerged as an interesting class of semiconductor materials for their application in photovoltaic (PV) and other semiconducting devices. A fast rise in PCE of this material observed in just under a decade from 3.8% in 2009 to over 25.2% recently is highly unique compared to other established PV technologies such as c-Si, GaAs, and CdTe. The high efficiency of perovskites solar cells has been attributed to its excellent optical and electronic properties. Perovskites thin film solar cells are usually deposited via spin coating, vacuum thermal evaporation, and chemical vapour deposition (CVD).

Les perovskites organiques-inorganiques en halogénures de plomb sont des matériaux très prometteurs pour la prochaine génération de cellules solaires avec des avantages intrinsèques tels que leur faible coût de fabrication (grande disponibilité des matériaux de base et leur mise en œuvre à basse température) et leur bon rendement de conversion photovoltaïque. Cependant, les cellules solaires pérovskites sont encore instables et montrent des effets d'hystérésis courant-tension délétères. Dans cette thèse, des résultats de l’analyse physique de couches minces de pérovskite à base de CH3NH3PbI3-xClx et de cellules solaires ont été présentés. Les caractéristiques de transport électrique et les processus de vieillissement ont été étudiés avec différentes approches.Dans une première étape, la synthèse du matériau pérovskite a été optimisée en contrôlant les conditions de dépôt des films en une seule étape telles que la vitesse de rotation (6000 rpm) de la tournette et la température de recuit des films (80 °C). Dans un second temps, des cellules solaires perovskites à base de CH3NH3PbI3-xClx ont été fabriquées en utilisant la structure planaire inversée et caractérisées optiquement et électriquement.Grace à l’utilisation de la spectroscopie optique à décharge luminescente (GDOES), un déplacement des ions halogénures a été observé expérimentalement et de façon directe sous l’application d’une tension électrique. Une longueur de diffusion ionique de 140 nm et un rapport de 65% d'ions mobiles ont été déduits. Il est montré que l'hystérésis courant-tension dans l'obscurité est fortement affectée par la migration des ions halogénures provoquant un écrantage substantiel du champ électrique appliqué. Nous avons donc trouvé sous obscurité un décalage de la tension à courant nul jusque 0,25 V et un courant de fuite jusque 0,1 mA / cm2 en fonction des conditions de mesure. Grâce aux courbes courant-tension en fonction de la température, nous avons déterminé la température de transition de la conductivité ions/électrons à 260K et analysé les résultats expérimentaux en utilisant l'équation de Nernst- Einstein donnant une énergie d'activation de 0.253 eV pour les ions mobiles.Enfin, le processus de vieillissement de la cellule solaire a été étudié avec des mesures optiques et électriques. Nous avons déduit que le processus de vieillissement apparaît d'abord à la surface des cristaux de pérovskite ainsi qu’aux joints de grains. Les mesures GDOES nous indiquent que les caractéristiques électriques des cellules pérovskites sont perdues par une corrosion progressive de l'électrode supérieure en argent causée par la diffusion des ions iodures
Organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites are very promising materials for the next generation of solar cells with intrinsic advantages such as a low-cost material due to the availability of source materials and low-temperature solution processing as well as a high power conversion efficiency of the sunlight. However, perovskite solar cells are still unstable and show deleterious current-voltage hysteresis effects. Inthis thesis, analyses of CH3NH3PbI3-xClx based perovskite thin films and solar cells are presented. The electrical transport characteristics and the ageing processes are investigated using different approaches.The synthesis of the halide perovskite materials is optimized in a first step by controlling the deposition conditions such as annealing temperature (80°C) and spinning rate (6000 rpm) in the one step-spin-casted process. CH3NH3PbI3-xClx based perovskite solar cells are then fabricated in the inverted planar structure and characterized optically and electrically in a second step.Direct experimental evidence of the motion of the halide ions under an applied voltage has been observed using glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES). Ionic diffusion length of 140 nm and ratio of mobile iodide ions of 65 % have been deduced. It is shown that the current-voltage hysteresis in the dark is strongly affected by the halide migration which causes a substantial screening of the applied electric field. Thus we have found a shift of voltage at zero current (< 0.25 V) and a leakage current (< 0.1 mA/cm2) in the dark versus measurement condition. Through the current-voltage curves as a function of temperature we have identified the freezing temperature of the mobile iodides at 260K. Using the Nernst-Einstein equation we have deduced a value of 0.253 eV for the activation energy of the mobile ions.Finally, the ageing process of the solar cell has been investigated with optical and electrical measurements. We deduced that the ageing process appear at first at the perovskite grain surface and boundaries. The electrical characteristics are degraded through a deterioration of the silver top-electrode due to the diffusion of iodides toward the silver as shown by GDOES analysis

Solar energy as the most abundant source of energy is clean, non-pollutant, and completely renewable, which provides energy security, independence, and reliability. Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) revolutionized the photovoltaics field not only by showing high efficiency of above 22% in just a few years but also by providing cheap and facile fabrication methods. In this dissertation, fabrication of PSCs in both ambient air conditions and environmentally controlled N2-filled glove-box are studied. Several characterization methods such as SEM, XRD, EDS, Profilometry, four-point probe measurement, EQE, and current-voltage measurements were employed to examine the quality of thin films and the performance of the PSCs. A few issues with the use of equipment for the fabrication of thin films are addressed, and the solutions are provided. It is suggested to fabricate PSCs in ambient air conditions entirely, to reduce the production cost. So, in this part, the preparation of the solutions, the fabrication of thin films, and the storage of materials were performed in ambient air conditions regardless of their humidity sensitivity. Thus, for the first part, the fabrication of PSCs in ambient air conditions with relative humidity above ~36% with and without moisture sensitive material, i.e., Li-TFSI are provided. Perovskite materials including MAPbI3 and mixed cation MAyFA(1-y)PbIxBr(1-x) compositions are investigated. Many solution-process parameters such as the spin-coating speed for deposition of the hole transporting layer (HTL), preparation of the HTL solution, impact of air and light on the HTL conductivity, and the effect of repetitive measurement of PSCs are investigated. The results show that the higher spin speed of PbI2 is critical for high-quality PbI2 film formation. The author also found that exposure of samples to air and light are both crucial for fabrication of solar cells with larger current density and better fill factor. The aging characteristics of the PSCs in air and vacuum environments are also investigated. Each performance parameter of air-stored samples shows a drastic change compared with that of the vacuum-stored samples, and both moisture and oxygen in air are found to influence the PSCs performances. These results are essential towards the fabrication of low-cost, high-efficiency PSCs in ambient air conditions. In the second part, the research is focused on the fabrication of high-efficiency PSCs using the glove-box. Both single-step and two-step spin-coating methods with perovskite precursors such as MAyFA(1-y)PbIxBr(1-x) and Cesium-doped mixed cation perovskite with a final formula of Cs0.07MA0.1581FA0.7719Pb1I2.49Br0.51 were considered. The effect of several materials and process parameters on the performance of PSCs are investigated. A new solution which consists of titanium dioxide (TiO2), hydrochloric acid (HCl), and anhydrous ethanol is introduced and optimized for fabrication of quick, pinhole-free, and efficient hole-blocking layer using the spin-coating method. Highly reproducible PSCs with an average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.4% are fabricated using this solution by spin-coating method compared to the conventional solution utilizing both spin-coating with an average PCE of 10.6% and spray pyrolysis with an average PCE of 13.78%. Moreover, a thin layer of silver is introduced as an interlayer between the HTL and the back contact. Interestingly, it improved the current density and, finally the PCEs of devices by improving the adhesion of the back electrode onto the organic HTL and increasing the light reflection in the PSC. Finally, a highly reproducible fabrication procedure for cesium-doped PSCs using the anti-solvent method with an average PCE of 16.5%, and a maximum PCE of ~17.5% is provided.