Renewable Energy Global Innovations features: Oxidized Ni/Au Transparent Electrode in Efficient CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite/Fullerene Planar Heterojunction Hybrid Solar Cells

Significance Statement

The p-type semiconducting inorganic NiO_x thin film, owing to the high optical transparency, the chemical stability, the good conductivity of hole, the suitable work function, as well as the capability to block the electrons to reach the positive electrode, would be the ideal p-type electrode interlayer for fabricating perovskite solar cells made of a conventional OPV architecture. However, the electric conductivity of NiO_x layer is still insufficient to be solely used as a TCO electrode. The NiO_x needs to function reliably with the highly conductive ITO layer underneath to sustain the electric conduction of the charges.

This work first and successfully demonstrates the application of the well-developed nickel (Ni)/gold (Au) transparent electrode in GaN light-emitting diodes industry for fabricating efficient perovskite-based solar cells. We apply a thermally oxidized, Ni/Au transparent electrode on the glass substrate to prepare methylammonium lead iodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃) perovskite/fullerene (C₆₀) planar heterojunction hybrid solar cells.

The combination of the oxidized Ni (NiO_x) with the interconnected network Au forms a functionalized Au:NiO_x electrode, capable of transporting holes and blocking electrons from CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite to reach the electrode. Changing Ni/Au compositions and the thermal treatment conditions modulates the optical transparency, electrical conductivity, the work function of Au:NiO_x electrode, as well as the photovoltaic parameters of hybrid cells.

To prepare the electrode and electrode interlayer in one single process simplifies fabricating procedures, and poses to the new design of the functionalized electrode in perovskite-based hybrid devices.

We report both ITO and PEDOT:PSS free devices with the potential for cost-effective, low-weight and stable cell in future application. The merits of the methods and materials we developed in the paper represent a new paradigm for hybrid perovskite-based solar cells of a conventional OPV architecture.  

About The Author

C. Lai received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Feng-Chia University, Taiwan, in 1993, and the M.S. and the Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, in 2001. In 2001, he was a Postdoctoral Associate with the Department of Electrical Engineering, NCKU.

He is currently with the Department of Photonics, NCKU, Taiwan, as a professor. His research interest includes the growth and Characterization of III–V nitride semiconductors and devices.

About The Author

Kun-Wei Lin received the B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, in 2001, and the M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, in 2003, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree with the Department of Photonics.

About The Author

Peter C.-Y Chen. He received Ph. D. from the Photonic Program in EPFL Switzerland at 2009 under the supervision of Prof. Michael Graetzel. Then he moved to Monash University in Australia as a post-doctoral research fellow with Prof. Udo Bach. He joined the Dept. of Photonic in National Cheng Kung University in 2010 and became associate Professor in 2014.

Currently his research interests are in the area of various photovoltaic devices including dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite-based solar cells (HOIPs) and semiconductor-sensitization solar cells.

About The Author

Tzung-Fang Guo received the Ph.D. degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from University of California Los Angeles in 2002. He is currently the professor and chairman at Department of Photonics, National Cheng Kung University.

His research focuses on high-performance O/PLEDs, polymer and perovskite-based PVs, n-type pentacene OTFTs, and the magneto conductance responses of organic electronic devices.

 

Journal Reference

Advanced Materials, Volume 28, Issue 17, pages 3290–3297, May 4, 2016. 

Wei-Chih Lai^1,2, Kun-Wei Lin¹, Yuan-Ting Wang¹, Tsung-Yu Chiang¹, Peter Chen^1,3, Tzung-Fang Guo^1,2,3. Oxidized Ni/Au Transparent Electrode in Efficient CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite/Fullerene Planar Heterojunction Hybrid Solar Cells Show Affiliations

1. Department of Photonics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
2. Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
3. Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

 

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