Suppression of deep-level traps via semicarbazide hydrochloride additives for high-performance tin-based perovskite solar cells

Abstract

Tin perovskites with exemplary optoelectronic properties offer potential application in lead-free perovskite solar cells. However, Sn vacancies and undercoordinated Sn ions on the tin perovskite surfaces can create deep-level traps, leading to non-radiative recombination and absorption of nucleophilic O₂ molecules, impeding further device efficiency and stability. Here, in this study, a new additive of semicarbazide hydrochloride (SEM-HCl) with a N–C=O functional group was introduced into the perovskite precursor to fabricate high-quality films with a low concentration of deep-level trap densities. This, in turn, serves to prevent undesirable interaction between photogenerated carriers and adsorbed oxygen molecules in the device’s operational environment, ultimately reducing the proliferation of superoxide entities. As the result, the SEM-HCl-derived devices show a peak efficiency of 10.9% with improved device stability. These unencapsulated devices maintain almost 100% of their initial efficiencies after working for 100 h under continuous AM1.5 illumination conditions.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Lead-free perovskite solar cells / Deep-level traps / Power conversion efficiency / Semicarbazide hydrochloride / Stability

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The Author(s) 2023