Enhancing Efficiency of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells by Sputtered Nickel Oxide Hole-Transport Layers

Abstract

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are now approaching their theoretical limits and the optimization of the auxiliary layers is crucial for fully exploiting the potential of perovskite materials. In this study, NiOx as a hole-transport layer (HTL) for inverted p–i–n PSCs is focused on. Sputtered NiOx is an attractive p-type HTL owing to its facile processing, wide energy bandgap that prevents electron transfer, high transparency, stability, and effective hole extraction. Despite substantial research on sputtered NiOx, the relationship between the carrier concentration and work function is still unclear. In this study, the use of sputtered NiOx as a widely compatible HTL and the effect of its thickness on PSC device performance are investigated. Inverted PSCs with the optimal 10 nm thick NiOx achieve a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 20.54%, which is the highest reported to date for sputtered NiOx-based PSCs. Furthermore, PSCs with various NiOx thicknesses demonstrate similar performances, demonstrating the excellent versatility of NiOx for use with different perovskite absorbers. The devices exhibit excellent thermal and photostability, retaining 97% of their initial power conversion efficiency at 65 °C and 1 sun illumination for 350 h. Sputtered NiOx HTLs have great potential for use with diverse perovskite compositions and PSC structures.