20.8% slot-die coated MAPbI3 perovskite solar cells by optimal DMSO-content and age of 2-ME based precursor inks

Abstract Solar cells incorporating metal-halide perovskite (MHP) semiconductors are continuing to break efficiency records for solution-processed solar cell devices. Scaling MHP-based devices to larger area prototypes is a crucial step towards commercialization. This requires the development and optimization of scalable process technology for these devices. Here, we demonstrate a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.83% for slot-die coated gas-quenched small-area methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) devices. Our ink is based on 2-methoxy-ethanol (2-ME) with the strongly coordinating solvent dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO) added in small amounts. We found that the amount of DMSO, as well as the age of the precursor solutions, are determining factors in achieving highly efficient and reproducible devices. Through in-depth insight into the film formation process as a function of DMSO content from in-situ X-ray diffraction experiments, we found that just the right amount of DMSO favorably affects thin film growth. Adding 11.77 mol% of DMSO prevents the formation of a crystalline intermediate phase related to MAPbI3 and 2-ME (MAPbI3 -2-ME), reported here for the first time, and inducing the formation of some (DMSO)2MA2Pb3I8 intermediate phase. These results demonstrate that ink composition and process control are critical to enable reproducible large-scale manufacturing of MHP-based devices for commercial applications.

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Meniscus Guide Slot-Die Coating For Roll-to-Roll Perovskite Solar Cells

MRS Advances ◽

10.1557/adv.2019.79 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (24) ◽

pp. 1399-1407 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Daniel Burkitt ◽

Peter Greenwood ◽

Katherine Hooper ◽

David Richards ◽

Vasil Stoichkov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Deposition Process ◽

Low Flow ◽

Plastic Substrate ◽

Lead Iodide ◽

Perovskite Layer ◽

Slot Die Coating ◽

Roll To Roll ◽

Slot Die

Abstract:Roll-to-roll slot-die coating with a meniscus guide is used to deposit several layers in a P-I-N perovskite solar cell stack, including the perovskite layer. The use of various length meniscus guides as part of the slot-die head allows controlled coating of these layers at a common coating speed. The length of meniscus guide used is optimised and related to the rheology of the coated ink and appropriate choice of meniscus guide length provides a way to avoid flooding of the coated area and improve coating definition. Initial coating trial results suggest the low-flow limit of slot-die coating is still applicable when using a meniscus guide, which is an important and previously unreported observation, application of this theory to meniscus guide coating provides a useful tool for rapidly determining the appropriate coating conditions that can be used as part of a manufacturing process. This is further explored through the deposition of perovskite solar cells by roll-to-roll slot-die coating. The perovskite layer is deposited using a sequential slot-die deposition process using a low toxicity dimethyl sulfoxide ink for the lead iodide layer, it is found that increasing the drying oven temperature and air flow rate can be used to improve the uniformity of the layer but this can also result in deformation of the plastic substrate. Functioning perovskite solar cells are demonstrated using this technique, but a large variation is found between device performances which is attributed to the poor uniformity of the perovskite layer and damage caused to the substrate by excessive heating.

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Large scale flexible perovskite solar cells fabricated by slot die coating

10.1109/pvsc43889.2021.9518777 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jun Wang ◽

Michael R. Squillante ◽

Siraj Sidhik ◽

Aditya Mohite ◽

Matthew S. J. Marshall

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Large Scale ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Slot Die Coating ◽

Slot Die

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Intermediate Phase‐Free Process for Methylammonium Lead Iodide Thin Film for High‐Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells

Advanced Science ◽

10.1002/advs.202102492 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 2102492

Author(s):

Yeonghun Yun ◽

Devthade Vidyasagar ◽

Minho Lee ◽

Oh Yeong Gong ◽

Jina Jung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Intermediate Phase ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Lead Iodide ◽

Free Process ◽

Methylammonium Lead Iodide

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Methylamine-assisted growth of uniaxial-oriented perovskite thin films with millimeter-sized grains

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-020-19199-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Haochen Fan ◽

Fengzhu Li ◽

Pengcheng Wang ◽

Zhenkun Gu ◽

Jin-Hua Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Intermediate Phase ◽

Low Cost ◽

Photovoltaic Performance ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Environmental Stability ◽

Nonradiative Recombination ◽

Recombination Energy ◽

Lead Iodide

Abstract Defects from grain interiors and boundaries of perovskite films cause significant nonradiative recombination energy loss, and thus perovskite films with controlled crystallinity and large grains is critical for improvement of both photovoltaic performance and stability for perovskite-based solar cells. Here, a methylamine (MA0) gas-assisted crystallization method is developed for fabrication of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite films. In the process, the perovskite film is formed via controlled release of MA0 gas molecules from a liquid intermediate phase MAPbI3·xMA0. The resulting perovskite film comprises millimeter-sized grains with (110)-uniaxial crystallographic orientation, exhibiting much low trap density, long carrier lifetime, and excellent environmental stability. The corresponding perovskite solar cell exhibits a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ~ 21.36%, which is among the highest reported for MAPbI3-based devices. This method provides important progress towards the fabrication of high-quality perovskite thin films for low-cost, highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells.

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Sequential Slot-Die Deposition of Perovskite Solar Cells Using Dimethylsulfoxide Lead Iodide Ink

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma11112106 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2106 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Daniel Burkitt ◽

Justin Searle ◽

David Worsley ◽

Trystan Watson

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Solvent System ◽

Lead Iodide ◽

Coating Quality ◽

Slot Die Coating ◽

Slot Die ◽

Coating Method ◽

Free Films ◽

Good Coating

This work demonstrates a sequential deposition of lead iodide followed by methylammonium iodide using the industrially compatible slot-die coating method that produces homogeneous pin-hole free films without the use of the highly toxic dimethylformamide. This is achieved through the careful selection and formulation of the solvent system and coating conditions for both the lead iodide layer and the methylammonium iodide coating. The solvent system choice is found to be critical to achieving good coating quality, conversion to the final perovskite and for the film morphology formed. A range of alcohols are assessed as solvent for methylammonium iodide formulations for use in slot-die coating. A dimethylsulfoxide solvent system for the lead iodide layer is shown which is significantly less toxic than the dimethylformamide solvent system commonly used for lead iodide deposition, which could find utility in high throughput manufacture of perovskite solar cells.

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Evaporation-Induced Self-Assembly of Semi-Crystalline PbI2(DMSO) Complex Films as a Facile Route to Reproducible and Efficient Planar p-i-n Perovskite Solar Cells

MRS Advances ◽

10.1557/adv.2018.137 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (32) ◽

pp. 1807-1817 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Brandon Dunham ◽

Vivek Vattipalli ◽

Christos Dimitrakopoulos

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Self Assembly ◽

Large Scale ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Single Step ◽

Lead Iodide ◽

Active Layers ◽

Evaporation Induced Self Assembly ◽

Complex Film

ABSTRACTHigh quality active layers for hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells are essential for achieving maximum device performance. However, perovskite active layers in solar cells are frequently prepared with unoptimized processes that lead to layers of inferior quality. This is often the case when research focuses on other aspects of the solar cell device, such as device design and architecture, carrier transport layers, electrodes, interlayers, etc. In this study, a single-step spin-coating method was used to prepare semi-crystalline PbI2(DMSO) complex films via evaporation-induced self-assembly. These optimized intermediate films were then used to form homogeneous methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite films of optimum thickness (ca. 400 nm) with uniform surface coverage, good crystallinity, high purity, and grain sizes up to one micron, by employing a sequential deposition process involving intramolecular exchange between the PbI2(DMSO) complex film and a methylammonium iodide (MAI) layer deposited on top of it. We found that for certain ranges of MAI concentration, the formation of optimal-quality perovskite active layers was independent of MAI concentration, so long as MAI deposition occurred at specific corresponding spin speeds. Planar p-i-n perovskite solar cells comprising the optimized active layers were fabricated, and they exhibited negligible hysteresis and a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.72%, without any additional compositional and interfacial engineering. The latter can be used in the future to further enhance the PCE. These findings demonstrate the importance of an optimized perovskite active layer for reproducibly fabricating high-efficiency planar p-i-n photovoltaic devices. Additionally, the simplicity of the PbI2(DMSO) complex film preparation and the versatility of the MAI deposition with this fabrication method further enhances the potential of this material for large-scale processing.

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Effects of Solution-Based Fabrication Conditions on Morphology of Lead Halide Perovskite Thin Film Solar Cells

Advances in Materials Science and Engineering ◽

10.1155/2016/4126163 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Jeremy L. Barnett ◽

Vivien L. Cherrette ◽

Connor J. Hutcherson ◽

Monica C. So

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Film Formation ◽

Photovoltaic Performance ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Solution Temperature ◽

Processing Conditions ◽

Lead Iodide ◽

Methylammonium Lead Iodide ◽

Lead Halide

We present a critical review of the effects of processing conditions on the morphology of methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) perovskite solar cells. Though difficult to decouple from synthetic and film formation effects, a single morphological feature, specifically grain size, has been evidently linked to the photovoltaic performance of this class of solar cells. Herein, we discuss experimental aspects of optimizing the (a) temperature and time of annealing, (b) spin-coating parameters, and (c) solution temperature of methylammonium iodide (MAI) solution.

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Synergistic improvements in stability and performance of lead iodide perovskite solar cells incorporating salt additives

Journal of Materials Chemistry A ◽

10.1039/c5ta10288j ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 1591-1597 ◽

Cited By ~ 128

Author(s):

Karunakara Moorthy Boopathi ◽

Ramesh Mohan ◽

Tzu-Yen Huang ◽

Widhya Budiawan ◽

Ming-Yi Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Alkali Metal ◽

Power Conversion Efficiency ◽

Homogeneous Nucleation ◽

Film Formation ◽

Power Conversion ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Alkali Metal Halide ◽

Lead Iodide ◽

And Performance

Alkali metal halide additives chelate with Pb2+ ions during film formation promoting homogeneous nucleation, which greatly enhances the power conversion efficiency (15.08%) and stability (over 50 days) of planar perovskite solar cells.

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