Efficiency Improvement of MAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells Based on a CsPbBr3 Quantum Dot/Au Nanoparticle Composite Plasmonic Light-Harvesting Layer

Enhancing photoluminescence performance of perovskite quantum dots with plasmonic nanoparticles: insights into mechanisms and light-emitting applications

Perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are considered as promising materials for numerous optoelectronic applications due to their narrow emission spectra, high color purity, high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), and cost-effectiveness. Herein, we synthesized various types of perovskite QDs and incorporated Au nanoparticles (NPs) to systematically investigate the impact of plasmonic effects on the photoluminescence performance of perovskite QDs. The PLQYs of the QDs are enhanced effectively upon the inclusion of Au NPs in the solutions, with an impressive PLQY approaching 99% achieved. The PL measurements reveal that the primary mechanism behind the PL improvement is the accelerated rate of radiative recombination. Furthermore, we integrate perovskite QDs and Au NPs, which function as color conversion layers, with blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), achieving a remarkable efficiency of 140.6 lm W-1. Additionally, we prepare photopatternable thin films of perovskite QDs using photocrosslinkable polymers as the matrix. Microscale patterning of the thin films is accomplished, indicating that the addition of plasmonic NPs does not adversely affect their photopatternable properties. Overall, our research not only elucidates the underlying mechanisms of plasmonic effects on perovskite QDs but presents a practical method for enhancing their optical performance, paving the way for next-generation optoelectronic applications, including high-definition micro-LED panels.

Exploring Solar Cells Based on Lead- and Iodide-Deficient Halide Perovskite (d-HP) Thin Films

Perovskite solar cells have become more and more attractive and competitive. However, their toxicity induced by the presence of lead and their rather low stability hinders their potential and future commercialization. Reducing lead content while improving stability then appears as a major axis of development. In the last years, we have reported a new family of perovskite presenting PbI⁺ unit vacancies inside the lattice caused by the insertion of big organic cations that do not respect the Goldschmidt tolerance factor: hydroxyethylammonium HO-(CH₂)₂-NH₃⁺ (HEA⁺) and thioethylammonium HS-(CH₂)₂-NH₃⁺ (TEA⁺). These perovskites, named d-HPs for lead and halide-deficient perovskites, present a 3D perovskite corner-shared Pb_1-xI_3-x network that can be assimilated to a lead-iodide-deficient MAPbI₃ or FAPbI₃ network. Here, we propose the chemical engineering of both systems for solar cell optimization. For d-MAPbI₃-HEA, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) reached 11.47% while displaying enhanced stability and reduced lead content of 13% compared to MAPbI₃. On the other hand, d-FAPbI₃-TEA delivered a PCE of 8.33% with astounding perovskite film stability compared to classic α-FAPI. The presence of TEA⁺ within the lattice impedes α-FAPI degradation into yellow δ-FAPbI₃ by direct degradation into inactive Pb(OH)I, thus dramatically slowing the aging of d-FAPbI₃-TEA perovskite.

Properties and alcohol sensing applications of quasi-2D (PEA)2(MA)3Sb2Br9 thin films

We fabricated an alcohol detector based on (PEA)₂(CH₃NH₃)₃Sb₂Br₉ ((PEA)₂MA₃Sb₂Br₉) lead-free perovskite-like films. The XRD pattern revealed that the (PEA)₂MA₃Sb₂Br₉ lead-free perovskite-like films exhibited a quasi-2D structure. The optimal current response ratios are 74 and 84 for 5 and 15% alcohol solutions, respectively. When the amount of PEABr decreases in the films, the conductivity of the sample in ambient alcohol with a high alcohol concentration solution increases. The alcohol was dissolved into water and carbon dioxide due to the catalyst effect of the quasi-2D (PEA)₂MA₃Sb₂Br₉ thin film. The rise and fall times for the alcohol detector were 1.85 and 0.7 s, respectively, indicating that the detector was suitable.

Physical Fields Manipulation for High-Performance Perovskite Photovoltaics

With the efforts of researchers from all over the world, metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been booming rapidly in recent years. Generally, perovskite films are sensitive to surrounding conditions and will be changed under the action of physical fields, resulting in lattice distortion, degradation, ion migration, and so on. In this review, the progress of physical fields manipulation in PSCs, including the electric field, magnetic field, light field, stress field, and thermal field are reviewed. On this basis, the influences of these fields on PSCs are summarized and prospected. Finally, challenges and prospective research directions on how to make better use of external-fields while minimizing the unnecessary and disruptive impacts on commercial PSCs with high-efficiency and steady output are proposed.

Research Progress of Plasmonic Nanostructure-Enhanced Photovoltaic Solar Cells

Enhancement of the electromagnetic properties of metallic nanostructures constitute an extensive research field related to plasmonics. The latter term is derived from plasmons, which are quanta corresponding to longitudinal waves that are propagating in matter by the collective motion of electrons. Plasmonics are increasingly finding wide application in sensing, microscopy, optical communications, biophotonics, and light trapping enhancement for solar energy conversion. Although the plasmonics field has relatively a short history of development, it has led to substantial advancement in enhancing the absorption of the solar spectrum and charge carrier separation efficiency. Recently, huge developments have been made in understanding the basic parameters and mechanisms governing the application of plasmonics, including the effects of nanoparticles' size, arrangement, and geometry and how all these factors impact the dielectric field in the surrounding medium of the plasmons. This review article emphasizes recent developments, fundamentals, and fabrication techniques for plasmonic nanostructures while investigating their thermal effects and detailing light-trapping enhancement mechanisms. The mismatch effect of the front and back light grating for optimum light trapping is also discussed. Different arrangements of plasmonic nanostructures in photovoltaics for efficiency enhancement, plasmonics' limitations, and modeling performance are also deeply explored.

Oxide and Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskites with Plasmonics for Optoelectronic and Energy Applications: A Contributive Review

The ascension of halide perovskites as outstanding materials for a wide variety of optoelectronic applications has been reported in recent years. They have shown significant potential for the next generation of photovoltaics in particular, with a power conversion efficiency of 25.6% already achieved. On the other hand, oxide perovskites have a longer history and are considered as key elements in many technological applications; they have been examined in depth and applied in various fields, owing to their exceptional variability in terms of compositions and structures, leading to a large set of unique physical and chemical properties. As of today, a sound correlation between these two important material families is still missing, and this contributive review aims to fill this gap. We report a detailed analysis of the main functions and properties of oxide and organic–inorganic halide perovskite, emphasizing existing relationships amongst the specific performance and the structures.

The Effects of Temperature on the Growth of a Lead-Free Perovskite-Like (CH3NH3)3Sb2Br9 Single Crystal for An MSM Photodetector Application

We have fabricated a photodetector based on (CH₃NH₃)₃Sb₂Br₉ (MA₃Sb₂Br₉) lead-free perovskite-like single crystal, which plays an important role in the optoelectronic characteristics of the photodetector as a perovskite-like photosensitive layer. Here, MA₃Sb₂Br₉ single crystals were synthesized by an inverse temperature crystallization process with a precursor solution at three different growth temperatures, 60 °C, 80 °C, and 100 °C. As a result, a MA₃Sb₂Br₉ single crystal with an optimum growth temperature of 60 °C presented a low trap density of 2.63 × 10¹¹ cm^-3, a high charge carrier mobility of 0.75 cm² V^-1 s^-1, and excellent crystal structure and optical absorption properties. This MA₃Sb₂Br₉ perovskite-like photodetector displayed a low dark current of 8.09 × 10^-9 A, high responsivity of 0.113 A W^-1, and high detectivity of 4.32 × 10¹¹ Jones.

Arrays of Plasmonic Nanostructures for Absorption Enhancement in Perovskite Thin Films

We report optical characterization and theoretical simulation of plasmon enhanced methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3 ) thin-film perovskite solar cells. Specifically, various nanohole (NH) and nanodisk (ND) arrays are fabricated on gold/MAPbI 3 interfaces. Significant absorption enhancement is observed experimentally in 75 nm and 110 nm-thick perovskite films. As a result of increased light scattering by plasmonic concentrators, the original Fabry-Pérot thin-film cavity effects are suppressed in specific structures. However, thanks to field enhancement caused by plasmonic resonances and in-plane interference of propagating surface plasmon polaritons, the calculated overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cell is expected to increase by up to 45.5%, compared to its flat counterpart. The role of different geometry parameters of the nanostructure arrays is further investigated using three dimensional (3D) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations, which makes it possible to identify the physical origin of the absorption enhancement as a function of wavelength and design parameters. These findings demonstrate the potential of plasmonic nanostructures in further enhancing the performance of photovoltaic devices based on thin-film perovskites.