High-Performance Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells with Operational Stability via n-Type Small Molecule Additive-Assisted Defect Passivation

Abstract

Significant efforts have been devoted to modulating the grain size and improving the film quality of perovskite in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Adding materials to the perovskite is especially promising for high-performance PSCs, because the additives effectively control the crystal structure. Although the additive engineering approach has substantially boosted the efficiency of PSCs, instability of the perovskite film has remained a primary bottleneck for the commercialization of PSCs. Herein, a newly conceived bithiophene-based n-type conjugated small molecule (Y-Th2) is introduced to PSCs, which simultaneously enhances the performance and stability of the cell. The Y-Th2 effectively passivates the defect states in perovskite through Lewis acid–base interactions, increasing the grain size and quality of the perovskite absorber. An inverted PSC containing the Y-Th2 additive achieves a power conversion efficiency of 21.5%, versus 18.3% in the reference device. The operational stability is also considerably enhanced by the improved hydrophobicity and intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the perovskite. © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH