Effect of Photogenerated Dipoles in the Hole Transport Layer on Photovoltaic Performance of Organic–Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells

Judicious choice of transport layer in organic–inorganic halide perovskite solar cells can be one of the essential parameters in photovoltaic design and fabrication techniques. This article reports the effect of optically generated dipoles in transport layer on the photovoltaic actions in active layer in perovskite solar cells with the architecture of indium tin oxide (ITO)/TiO _x /CH₃NH₃PbI_3–x Cl _x /hole transport layer (HTL)/Au. Here, PTB7‐thieno[3,4‐b]thiophene‐alt‐benzodithiophene and P3HT‐poly(3‐hexylthiophene) are separately used as the HTL with significant and negligible photoinduced dipoles, respectively. Electric field‐induced photoluminescence quenching provides the first‐hand evidence to indicate that the photoinduced dipoles are partially aligned in the amorphous PTB7 layer under the influence of device built‐in field. By monitoring the recombination process through magneto‐photocurrent measurements under device operation condition, it is shown that the photoinduced dipoles in PTB7 layer can decrease the recombination of photogenerated carriers in the active layer in perovskite solar cells. Furthermore, the capacitance measurements suggest that the photoinduced dipoles in PTB7 can decrease charge accumulation at the electrode interface. Therefore, the studies indicate the important role of photoinduced dipoles in the HTL on charge recombination dynamics and provide a fundamental insight on how the polarization in transport layer can influence the device performance in perovskite solar cells.     

Surface Engineering of TiO2 ETL for Highly Efficient and Hysteresis‐Less Planar Perovskite Solar Cell (21.4%) with Enhanced Open‐Circuit Voltage and Stability

Interfacial studies and band alignment engineering on the electron transport layer (ETL) play a key role for fabrication of high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, an amorphous layer of SnO₂ (a‐SnO₂) between the TiO₂ ETL and the perovskite absorber is inserted and the charge transport properties of the device are studied. The double‐layer structure of TiO₂ compact layer (c‐TiO₂) and a‐SnO₂ ETL leads to modification of interface energetics, resulting in improved charge collection and decreased carrier recombination in PSCs. The optimized device based on a‐SnO₂/c‐TiO₂ ETL shows a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.4% as compared to 19.33% for c‐TiO₂ based device. Moreover, the modified device demonstrates a maximum open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 1.223 V with 387 mV loss in potential, which is among the highest reported value for PSCs with negligible hysteresis. The stability results show that the device on c‐TiO₂/a‐SnO₂ retains about 91% of its initial PCE value after 500 h light illumination, which is higher than pure c‐TiO₂ (67%) based devices. Interestingly, using a‐SnO₂/c‐TiO₂ ETL the PCE loss was only 10% of initial value under continuous UV light illumination after 30 h, which is higher than that of c‐TiO₂ based device (28% PCE loss).     

Carrier Transport and Recombination in Efficient “All‐Small‐Molecule” Solar Cells with the Nonfullerene Acceptor IDTBR

Reaching device efficiencies that can rival those of polymer‐fullerene Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells (>10%) remains challenging with the “All‐Small‐Molecule” (All‐SM) approach, in part because of (i) the morphological limitations that prevail in the absence of polymer and (ii) the difficulty to raise and balance out carrier mobilities across the active layer. In this report, the authors show that blends of the SM donor DR3TBDTT (DR3) and the nonfullerene SM acceptor O‐IDTBR are conducive to “All‐SM” BHJ solar cells with high open‐circuit voltages (V_OC) >1.1 V and PCEs as high as 6.4% (avg. 6.1%) when the active layers are subjected to a post‐processing solvent vapor‐annealing (SVA) step with dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). Combining electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analyses and systematic carrier recombination examinations, the authors show that SVA treatments with DMDS play a determining role in improving charge transport and reducing non‐geminate recombination for the DR3:O‐IDTBR system. Correlating the experimental results and device simulations, it is found that substantially higher BHJ solar cell efficiencies of >12% can be achieved if the IQE and carrier mobilities of the active layer are increased to >85% and >10^?4 cm² V^?1 s^?1, respectively, while suppressing the recombination rate constant k to <10^?12 cm³ s^?1.     

Solution Processable Inorganic–Organic Double‐Layered Hole Transport Layer for Highly Stable Planar Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have reached their highest efficiency with 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis(N,N′‐di‐p‐methoxyphenylamine)‐9,9′‐spirobifluorene (spiro‐OMeTAD). However, this material can cause problems with respect to reproducibility and stability. Herein, a solution‐processable inorganic–organic double layer based on tungsten oxide (WO₃) and spiro‐OMeTAD is reported as a hole transport layer in PSCs. The device equipped with a WO₃/spiro‐OMeTAD layer achieves the highest efficiency (21.44%) in the tin (IV) oxide planar structure. The electronic properties of the double layer are thoroughly analyzed using photoluminescence, space‐charge–limited current, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The WO₃/spiro‐OMeTAD layer exhibits better hole extraction ability and faster hole mobility. The WO₃ layer particularly improves the open‐circuit voltage (V_OC) by lowering the quasi‐Fermi energy level for holes and reducing charge recombination, resulting in high V_OC (1.17 V in the champion cell). In addition, the WO₃ layer as a scaffold layer promotes the formation of a uniform and pinhole‐free spiro‐OMeTAD overlayer in the WO₃/spiro‐OMeTAD layer. High stability under thermal and humid conditions stems from this property. The study presents a facile approach for improving the efficiency and stability of PSCs by stacking an organic layer on an inorganic layer.     

Benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]Dithiophene–6,7‐Difluoroquinoxaline Small Molecule Donors with >8% BHJ Solar Cell Efficiency

Solution‐processable small molecule (SM) donors are promising alternatives to their polymer counterparts in bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. While SM donors with favorable spectral absorption, self‐assembly patterns, optimum thin‐film morphologies, and high carrier mobilities in optimized donor–acceptor blends are required to further BHJ device efficiencies, material structure governs each one of those attributes. As a result, the rational design of SM donors with gradually improved BHJ solar cell efficiencies must concurrently address: (i) bandgap tuning and optimization of spectral absorption (inherent to the SM main chain) and (ii) pendant‐group substitution promoting structural order and mediating morphological effects. In this paper, the rational pendant‐group substitution in benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene–6,7‐difluoroquinoxaline SMs is shown to be an effective approach to narrowing the optical gap (E_opt) of the SM donors ( SM1 and SM2 ), without altering their propensity to order and form favorable thin‐film BHJ morphologies with PC₇₁BM. Systematic device examinations show that power conversion efficiencies >8% and open‐circuit voltages (V_OC) nearing 1 V can be achieved with the narrow‐gap SM donor analog ( SM2 , E_opt = 1.6 eV) and that charge transport in optimized BHJ solar cells proceeds with minimal, nearly trap‐free recombination. Detailed device simulations, light intensity dependence, and transient photocurrent analyses emphasize how carrier recombination impacts BHJ device performance upon optimization of active layer thickness and morphology.     

High‐Performance Planar Perovskite Solar Cells Using Low Temperature,Solution–Combustion‐Based Nickel Oxide Hole Transporting Layer with Efficiency Exceeding 20%

NiO_x hole transporting layer has been extensively studied in optoelectronic devices. In this paper, the low temperature, solution–combustion‐based method is employed to prepare the NiO_x hole transporting layer. The resulting NiO_x thin films show better quality and preferable energy alignment with perovskite thin film compared to high temperature sol–gel‐processed NiO_x. With this, high‐performance perovskite solar cells are fabricated successfully with power conversion efficiency exceeding 20% using a modified two‐step prepared MA_1?yFA_yPbI_3?xCl_x perovskite. This efficiency value is among the highest values for NiO_x‐based devices. Various characterizations and analyses provide evidence of better film quality, enhanced charge transport and extraction, and suppressed charge recombination. Meanwhile, the device exhibits much better device stability compared to sol–gel‐processed NiO_x and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)‐based devices.     

Identifying the Impact of Surface Recombination at Electrodes in Organic Solar Cells by Means of Electroluminescence and Modeling

This work reports on combining current‐voltage characteristics, electroluminescence (EL) measurements, and modeling to identify the selectivity of the electrodes in bulk‐heterojunction organic solar cells. Devices with the same photoactive layer but different contact materials are compared and the impact of surface recombination at the contacts on their performance is determined. The open‐circuit voltage, V _OC, depends strongly on the selectivity of the electrodes and it is observed that the EL signal of cells with lower V _OC is dramatically reduced. This is ascribed to an enhanced rate of surface recombination, which is a non‐radiative recombination pathway and does therefore not contribute to the EL yield. In addition, these cells have a lower current in forward direction despite the fact that the surface recombination occurs in addition to the recombination in the bulk. A theoretical model was set up and in the corresponding numerical simulations all three findings (lower V _OC, strongly reduced EL signal and lower forward current) could be clearly reproduced by varying just one single parameter which determines the selectivity of the electrode.     

Origin of the S‐Shaped JV Curve and the Light‐Soaking Issue in Inverted Organic Solar Cells

Inverted organic solar cells generally exhibit a strong s‐shaped kink in the current–voltage characteristics (JV curve) that may be removed by exposure to UV light (light‐soaking) leading to a drastically improved performance. Using in‐device characterization methods the origin of the light‐soaking issue in inverted solar cells employing titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as an electron selective layer is clarified. An injected hole reservoir accumulated at the TiO₂/organic interface of the pristine device is observed from extraction current transients; the hole reservoir increases the recombination and results in an s‐shape in the JV curve of pristine devices. The hole reservoir and the s‐shape is a result of the energetics at the selective contact in the pristine device; the effect of UV exposure is to decrease the work function of the indium tin oxide/TiO₂‐contact, increasing the built‐in potential. This hinders the build‐up of the hole reservoir and the s‐shape is removed. The proposed model is in excellent agreement with drift‐diffusion simulations.     

Simultaneous Improvement of Photovoltaic Performance and Stability by In Situ Formation of 2D Perovskite at (FAPbI3)0.88(CsPbBr3)0.12/CuSCN Interface

To solve the stability issues of perovskite solar cells (PSC), here a novel interface engineering strategy that a versatile ultrathin 2D perovskite (5‐AVA)₂PbI₄ (5‐AVA = 5‐ammoniumvaleric acid) passivation layer that is in situ incorporated at the interface between (FAPbI₃)_0.88(CsPbBr₃)_0.12 and the hole transporting CuSCN is reported. Surface analysis using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the formation of 2D perovskite. Hysteresis is reduced by the interfacial 2D layer, which could be ascribed to improvement of interfacial charge extraction efficiency, associated with suppression of recombination. Moreover, introduction of the interface passivating layer enhances the moisture stability and photostability as compared to the control perovskite film due to hydrophobic nature of 2D perovskite. The unencapsulated device retains 98% of the initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) after 63 d under moisture exposure of about 10% in the dark. A PCE of the control device is boosted from 13.72 to 16.75% as a consequence of enhanced open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) and fill factor along with slightly increased short‐circuit current density (J_sc), which results from reduced trap states of (FAPbI₃)_0.88(CsPbBr₃)_0.12 as evidenced by enhanced carrier lifetimes and charge extraction. The perovskite/hole transport material interface engineering gives insight into simultaneous improvements of PCE and device stability.     

Highly stable and Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells Based on FAMA‐Perovskite‐Cu:NiO Composites with 20.7% Efficiency and 80.5% Fill Factor

To solve critical issues related to device stability and performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), FA_0.026MA_0.974PbI_3?yCl_y‐Cu:NiO (formamidinium methylammonium (FAMA)‐perovskite‐Cu:NiO) and Al₂O₃/Cu:NiO composites are developed and utilized for fabrication of highly stable and efficient PSCs through fully‐ambient‐air processes. The FAMA‐perovskite‐Cu:NiO composite crystals prepared without using any antisolvents not only improve the perovskite film quality with large‐size crystals and less grain boundaries but also tailor optical and electronic properties and suppress charge recombination with reduction of trap density. A champion device based on the composites as light absorber and Al₂O₃/Cu:NiO interfacial layer between electron transport layer and active layer yields power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.67% with V_OC of 1.047 V, J_SC of 24.51 mA cm^?2, and fill factor of 80.54%. More importantly, such composite‐based PSCs without encapsulation show significant enhancement in long‐term air‐stability, thermal‐ and photostability with retaining 97% of PCE over 240 d under ambient conditions (25–30 °C, 45–55% humidity).     

High‐Performance Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Environmental Stability Based on a (p‐FC6H4C2H4NH3)2[PbI4] Capping Layer

Supported by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, for the first time, a fluorinated aromatic cation, 2‐(4‐fluorophenyl)ethyl ammonium iodide (FPEAI), is introduced to grow in situ a low dimensional perovskite layer atop 3D perovskite film with excess PbI₂. The resulted (p‐FC₆H₄C₂H₄NH₃)₂[PbI₄] perovskite functions as a protective capping layer to protect the 3D perovskite from moisture. In the meantime, the thin layer facilitates charge transfer at the interfaces, thereby reducing the nonradiative recombination pathways. Laser scanning confocal microscopy unveils visually the distribution of the 2D perovskite layer on top of the 3D perovskite. When employing the 3D–2D perovskite as the absorbing layer in the photovoltaic cells, a high power conversion efficiency of 20.54% is realized. Superior device performance and moisture stability are observed with the modified perovskite over the whole stability test period.     

The Importance of Fullerene Percolation in the Mixed Regions of Polymer–Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

Most optimized donor‐acceptor (D‐A) polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have active layers too thin to absorb greater than ～80% of incident photons with energies above the polymer's band gap. If the thickness of these devices could be increased without sacrificing internal quantum efficiency, the device power conversion efficiency (PCE) could be significantly enhanced. We examine the device characteristics of BHJ solar cells based on poly(di(2‐ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene‐co‐octylthieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione) (PBDTTPD) and [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) with 7.3% PCE and find that bimolecular recombination limits the active layer thickness of these devices. Thermal annealing does not mitigate these bimolecular recombination losses and drastically decreases the PCE of PBDTTPD BHJ solar cells. We characterize the morphology of these BHJs before and after thermal annealing and determine that thermal annealing drastically reduces the concentration of PCBM in the mixed regions, which consist of PCBM dispersed in the amorphous portions of PBDTTPD. Decreasing the concentration of PCBM may reduce the number of percolating electron transport pathways within these mixed regions and create morphological electron traps that enhance charge‐carrier recombination and limit device quantum efficiency. These findings suggest that (i) the concentration of PCBM in the mixed regions of polymer BHJs must be above the PCBM percolation threshold in order to attain high solar cell internal quantum efficiency, and (ii) novel processing techniques, which improve polymer hole mobility while maintaining PCBM percolation within the mixed regions, should be developed in order to limit bimolecular recombination losses in optically thick devices and maximize the PCE of polymer BHJ solar cells.     

Enhancement of VOC without Loss of JSC in Organic Solar Cells by Modification of Donor/Acceptor Interfaces

Organic solar cells (OSCs) are promising low‐cost devices for generating electricity. In addition to fill factor, the short circuit current density (J_SC) and the open circuit voltage (V_OC) are two key factors that have critical influence on the device performance. The energy levels of the donor and acceptor materials are crucial for achieving a high J_SC and V_OC. However, the interfacial structures between the organic materials substantially affect the J_SC and V_OC through the energy of the charge transfer (CT) states and the charge separation and recombination reaction kinetics. Here, it is reported that separating the donor and acceptor layer in bilayer OSCs with a thin insulating layer increases the energy of the CT state by weakening the Coulomb interaction at the interface and this also suppresses photoinduced CT and recombination. Although these effects usually increase V_OC and decrease J_SC, the trade‐off is avoided by doping the insulating layer with a dye to utilize the energy transfer process. The increase in V_OC without the reduction in J_SC enhances the conversion efficiency of the OSCs by 30%.     

On the Origin of the Ideality Factor in Perovskite Solar Cells

The measurement of the ideality factor (n_id) is a popular tool to infer the dominant recombination type in perovskite solar cells (PSC). However, the true meaning of its values is often misinterpreted in complex multilayered devices such as PSC. In this work, the effects of bulk and interface recombination on the n_id are investigated experimentally and theoretically. By coupling intensity‐dependent quasi‐Fermi level splitting measurements with drift diffusion simulations of complete devices and partial cell stacks, it is shown that interfacial recombination leads to a lower n_id compared to Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) recombination in the bulk. As such, the strongest recombination channel determines the n_id of the complete cell. An analytical approach is used to rationalize that n_id values between 1 and 2 can originate exclusively from a single recombination process. By expanding the study over a wide range of the interfacial energy offsets and interfacial recombination velocities, it is shown that an ideality factor of nearly 1 is usually indicative of strong first‐order non‐radiative interface recombination and that it correlates with a lower device performance. It is only when interface recombination is largely suppressed and bulk SRH recombination dominates that a small n_id is again desirable.     

A New Interconnecting Layer of Metal Oxide/Dipole Layer/Metal Oxide for Efficient Tandem Organic Solar Cells

A new metal‐oxide‐based interconnecting layer (ICL) structure of all‐solution processed metal oxide/dipole layer/metal oxide for efficient tandem organic solar cell (OSC) is demonstrated. The dipole layer modifies the work function (WF) of molybdenum oxide (MoO _x ) to eliminate preexisted counter diode between MoO _x and TiO₂. Three different amino functionalized water/alcohol soluble conjugated polymers (WSCPs) are studied to show that the WF tuning of MoO _x is controllable. Importantly, the results show that S‐shape current density versus voltage (J–V) characteristics form when operation temperature decreases. This implies that thermionic emission within the dipole layer plays critical role for helping recombination of electrons and holes. Meanwhile, the insignificant homotandem open‐circuit voltage (V _oc) loss dependence on dipole layer thickness shows that the quantum tunneling effect is weak for efficient electron and hole recombination. Based on this ICL, poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT)‐based homotandem OSC with 1.20 V V _oc and 3.29% power conversion efficiency (PCE) is achieved. Furthermore, high efficiency poly(4,8‐bis(5‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐thiophene‐2‐yl)‐benzo[1,2‐b54,5‐b9]dithiophene‐alt alkylcarbonylthieno[3,4‐b]thiophene) (PBDTTT‐C‐T)‐based homotandem OSC with 1.54 V V _oc and 8.11% PCE is achieved, with almost 15.53% enhancement compared to its single cell. This metal oxide/dipole layer/metal oxide ICL provides a new strategy to develop other qualified ICL with different hole transporting layer and electron transporting layer in tandem OSCs.     

Decoupling Photocurrent Loss Mechanisms in Photovoltaic Cells Using Complementary Measurements of Exciton Diffusion

Significant work has been directed at measuring the exciton diffusion length (L_D) in organic semiconductors due to its significance in determining the performance of photovoltaic cells. Several techniques have been developed to measure L_D, often probing photoluminescence or charge carrier generation. Interestingly, in this study it is shown that when different techniques are compared, both the diffusive behavior of the exciton and active carrier recombination loss pathways can be decoupled. Here, a planar heterojunction device based on the donor–acceptor pairing of boron subphthalocyanine chloride‐C₆₀ is examined using photoluminescence quenching, photovoltage‐, and photocurrent‐based L_D measurement techniques. Photovoltage yields the device relevant L_D of both active materials as a function of forward bias subject to geminate recombination losses. These values are used to accurately predict the photocurrent as a function of voltage, suggesting geminate recombination is the dominant mechanism responsible for photocurrent loss. By combining these measurements with photocurrent and photoluminescence quenching, the intrinsic L_D, as well as the voltage‐dependent charge transfer state dissociation and charge collection efficiencies are quantitatively determined. The results of this work provide a method to decouple all relevant loss pathways during photoconversion, and establish the factors that can limit the performance of excitonic photovoltaic cells.     

Relating Recombination,Density of States,and Device Performance in an Efficient Polymer:Fullerene Organic Solar Cell Blend

We explore the interrelation between density of states, recombination kinetics, and device performance in efficient poly[4,8‐bis‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b']dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl‐alt‐4‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy‐1‐one)thieno[3,4‐b]thiophene‐2,6‐diyl]:[6,6]‐phenyl‐C₇₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PBDTTT‐C:PC₇₁BM) bulk‐heterojunction organic solar cells. We modulate the active‐layer density of states by varying the polymer:fullerene composition over a small range around the ratio that leads to the maximum solar cell efficiency (50–67 wt% PC₇₁BM). Using transient and steady‐state techniques, we find that nongeminate recombination limits the device efficiency and, moreover, that increasing the PC₇₁BM content simultaneously increases the carrier lifetime and drift mobility in contrast to the behavior expected for Langevin recombination. Changes in electronic properties with fullerene content are accompanied by a significant change in the magnitude or energetic separation of the density of localized states. Our comprehensive approach to understanding device performance represents significant progress in understanding what limits these high‐efficiency polymer:fullerene systems.     

3D–2D–0D Interface Profiling for Record Efficiency All‐Inorganic CsPbBrI2 Perovskite Solar Cells with Superior Stability

All‐inorganic CsPbBrI₂ perovskite has great advantages in terms of ambient phase stability and suitable band gap (1.91 eV) for photovoltaic applications. However, the typically used structure causes reduced device performance, primarily due to the large recombination at the interface between the perovskite, and the hole‐extraction layer (HEL). In this paper, an efficient CsPbBrI₂ perovskite solar cell (PSC) with a dimensionally graded heterojunction is reported, in which the CsPbBrI₂ material is distributed within bulk–nanosheet–quantum dots or 3D–2D–0D dimension‐profiled interface structure so that the energy alignment is optimized in between the valence and conduction bands of both CsPbBrI₂ and the HEL layers. Specifically, the valence‐/conduction‐band edge is leveraged to bend with synergistic advantages: the graded combination enhances the hole extraction and conduction efficiency with effectively decreased recombination loss during the hole‐transfer process, leading to an enhanced built‐in electric field, hence a high V_OC of as much as 1.19 V. The profiled structure induces continuously upshifted energy levels, resulting in a higher J_SC of as much as 12.93 mA cm^?2 and fill factor as high as 80.5%, and therefore record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.39%. As far as it is known, this is the highest PCE for CsPbBrI₂ perovskite‐based PSC.     

Dual Functional Electron‐Selective Contacts Based on Silicon Oxide/Magnesium: Tailoring Heterointerface Band Structures while Maintaining Surface Passivation

Silicon (Si)‐based dopant‐free heterojunction solar cells (SCs) featuring carrier‐selective contacts (CSCs) have attracted considerable interest due to the extreme simplifications in their device structure and manufacturing procedure. However, these SCs are limited by the unsatisfactory contact properties on both sides of the junction, and their efficiencies are not comparable with those of commercially available Si SCs. In this report, a high‐performance silicon‐oxide/magnesium (SiO_x/Mg) electron‐selective contact (ESC) design is described. Combining an ultrathin SiO_x and a low work function Mg layer, the novel ESC simultaneously yields low recombinative and resistive losses. In addition, deposition of Mg on SiO_x relaxes the restriction on the threshold thickness of the SiO_x for electron tunneling and therefore broadens the optimization space for rear‐sided passivation. Meanwhile, hole‐selective contact with boosted light harvesting and suppressed interfacial recombination is achieved by forming a fully conformal contact between the conducting poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) and periodic Si pyramid arrays. With the double‐sided carrier‐selective contact designs, PEDOT: PSS/Si/SiO_x/Mg SCs with efficiency of 15% are finally obtained via a totally dopant‐free processing. Subsequent calculations further indicate a pathway for the improvement of these contacts toward an efficiency that is competitive with conventionally diffused pn junction SCs.     

Enhancing Low‐Bias Performance of Hematite Photoanodes for Solar Water Splitting by Simultaneous Reduction of Bulk,Interface, and Surface Recombination Pathways

For a hematite (α‐Fe₂O₃) photoanode, multiple electron/hole recombination pathways occurring in the bulk, interfaces, and surfaces largely limit its low‐bias performance (low photocurrent density at low‐bias potential) for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Here, a facile and rapid three‐step approach is reported to simultaneously reduce these recombinations for hematite nanorods (NRs) array photoanode, leading to a greatly improved photocurrent density at low bias potential. First, flame‐doping enables high concentration of Ti doping without hampering the morphology and surface properties of the hematite NRs, which reduces both the bulk and surface recombinations effectively. Second, the addition of a dense‐layer between the hematite NRs and fluorine‐doped SnO₂ substrate effectively reduces the interfacial recombination by suppressing the electron back‐injection into electrolyte. Finally, the sequential oxalic acid etching and FeOOH deposition improves both the interface quality between FeOOH electrocatalyst and hematite NRs and the surface catalytic activity. Significantly, the combination of flame‐doping, dense‐layer deposition, surface etching, and electrocatalyst deposition effectively reduces the multiple electron/hole recombination pathways in a hematite NRs photoanode, which decreases the photocurrent onset potential from 1.02 V _RHE to 0.64 V_RHE, a reduction of 380 mV.