Performance comparison of planar and mesostructured perovskite solar cells

Abstract

Purpose: In this study, perovskite solar cells were fabricated using CH3NH3PbI3 perovskites in planar and mesostructured architecture and relation between architecture and cell performance was investigated in detail. Theory and Methods: Perovskite solar cells are sensitized energy harvesting devices where photoelectron generation and collection efficiency are directly related with the amount and quality of photoactive layer and electron transfer layer, repectively. In this report, perovskite solar cells were fabricated with/without mesoporous layer and the effect of mesoporus layer on the performance of solar cell was investigated via XRD, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, I-V and EQE analysis. It is expected that meso-structured solar cells have higher light absorption, because of the larger amount of deposited photoactive layer. Also use of mesoporous layer provides higher contact surface between the perovskite and electron transfer layers. Results: According to XRD results, formation of perovskite structure was found to be more difficult in mesostructured cells. However, the solar cell performance of meso-structured PSCs was found %6,08 higher than the planar ones. Additionally light absorption performance was found to be much better for mesostructured solar cell. The mesostructured perovskite solar cell with a short circuit current of 20.08 mA /cm2 and an open circuit voltage of 1.06 V exhibited the highest efficiency around 15.07%. Conclusion: The difference in solar efficiency records of the mesoporous and planar cells produced by the same procedures was 6,08%. However, the planar architecture was shown to be more advantageous, because of higher perovskite quality, fewer steps in the production and lack of need for high temperature to sinter the mesoporous layer.