Synergetic Effect of Plasmonic Gold Nanorods and MgO for Perovskite Solar Cells
Zhetao Xia,
Chenxi Zhang,
Zhiying Feng,
Zhixing Wu,
Zengbo Wang,
Xiaohong Chen,
Sumei Huang
Affiliations
Zhetao Xia
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, China
Chenxi Zhang
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, China
Zhiying Feng
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, China
Zhixing Wu
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, China
Zengbo Wang
School of Electronic Engineering, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 1UT, UK
Xiaohong Chen
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, China
Sumei Huang
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, China
We report new structured perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using solution-processed TiO2/Au nanorods/MgO composite electron transport layers (ETLs). The proposed method is facile, convenient, and effective. Briefly, Au nanorods (NRs) were prepared and introduced into mesoporous TiO2 ETLs. Then, thin MgO overlayers were grown on the Au NRs modified ETLs by wet spinning and pyrolysis of the magnesium salt. By simultaneous use of Au NRs and MgO, the power conversion efficiency of the PSC device increases from 14.7% to 17.4%, displaying over 18.3% enhancement, compared with the reference device without modification. Due to longitudinal plasmon resonances (LPRs) of gold nanorods, the embedded Au NRs exhibit the ability to significantly enhance the near-field and far-field (plasmonic scattering), increase the optical path length of incident photons in the device, and as a consequence, notably improve external quantum efficiency (EQE) at wavelengths above 600 nm and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSC solar cells. Meanwhile, the thin MgO overlayer also contributes to enhanced performance by reducing charge recombination in the solar cell. Theoretical calculations were carried out to elucidate the PV performance enhancement mechanisms.
