Tantalum Oxide as an Efficient Alternative Electron Transporting Layer for Perovskite Solar Cells.

ABSTRACT: Electron transporting layers facilitating electron extraction and suppressing hole recombination at the cathode are crucial components in any thin-film solar cell geometry, including that of metal-halide perovskite solar cells. Amorphous tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅) deposited by spin coating was explored as an electron transport material for perovskite solar cells, achieving power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to ~14%. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) measurements revealed that the extraction of photogenerated electrons is facilitated due to proper alignment of bandgap energies. Steady-state photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) verified efficient charge transport from perovskite absorber film to thin Ta₂O₅ layer. Our findings suggest that tantalum oxide as an n-type semiconductor with a calculated carrier density of ~7 × 10¹⁸/cm³ in amorphous Ta₂O₅ films, is a potentially competitive candidate for an electron transport material in perovskite solar cells.

SUBMITTER: Deo M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8912079 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature