Tungsten-Doped ZnO as an Electron Transport Layer for Perovskite Solar Cells: Enhancing Efficiency and Stability

Gantumur M 1 , Hossain MI 2 , Shahiduzzaman M 3 , Tamang A 4 , Rafij JH 5 , Shahinuzzaman M 6 Show all authors , Thi Cam Tu H 7 , Nakano M 8 , Karakawa M 1 , Ohdaira K 7 , AlMohamadi H 9 , Ibrahim MA 10 , Sopian K 11 , Akhtaruzzaman M 12 , Nunzi JM 3 , Taima T 1

Affiliations 

  • 1 Graduate School of Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa 920-1292, Japan
  • 2 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
  • 3 Nanomaterials Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
  • 4 Research and Development, Meta Materials Inc. (META), Pleasanton, California 94588, United States
  • 5 Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional(@The Energy University), Kajang, Selangor 43000, Malaysia
  • 6 Institute of Energy Research and Development, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
  • 7 Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan
  • 8 Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
  • 9 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia
  • 10 Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 11 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Seri Iskandar 32610, Malaysia
  • 12 Sustainable Research Center, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2024 Jul 17;16(28):36255-36271.
PMID: 38959094 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c03591

Abstract

This study delves into enhancing the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by optimizing the surface morphologies and optoelectronic properties of the electron transport layer (ETL) using tungsten (W) doping in zinc oxide (ZnO). Through a unique green synthesis process and spin-coating technique, W-doped ZnO films were prepared, exhibiting improved electrical conductivity and reduced interface defects between the ETL and perovskite layers, thus facilitating efficient electron transfer at the interface. High-quality PSCs with superior ETL demonstrated a substantial 30% increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to those employing pristine ZnO ETL. These solar cells retained over 70% of their initial PCE after 4000 h of moisture exposure, surpassing reference PSCs by 50% PCE over this period. Advanced numerical multiphysics solvers, employing finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and finite element method (FEM) techniques, were utilized to elucidate the underlying optoelectrical characteristics of the PSCs, with simulated results corroborating experimental findings. The study concludes with a thorough discussion on charge transport and recombination mechanisms, providing insights into the enhanced performance and stability achieved through W-doped ZnO ETL optimization.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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