Design and Synthesis of Fluorinated Quantum Dots for Efficient and Stable 0D/3D Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract

Dimensionality engineering involving the low-dimensional and 3D perovskites has been demonstrated as an efficient promising strategy to modulate interfacial energy loss as well as instability in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, the use of fluorinated Cesium Lead Iodide (CsPbI3) perovskite quantum dot (PQD) is first reported as interface modification layer for PSCs. The binding between the CsPbI3 PQD surface and native oleic acid (OLA)/oleylamine (OAm) ligands is governed by a dynamic adsorption–desorption equilibrium. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFA) with stronger binding affinity and more hydrophobic nature is explored to partially replace OLA to prepare the fluorinated ligand capped CsPbI3 PQDs (F-CsPbI3). Through optimization of the addition of PFA during hot-injection synthesis, the in situ treated F-CsPbI3 PQDs display reduced surface defect states, higher photoluminescence quantum yields together with improved stability. Subsequently, both CsPbI3 and F-CsPbI3 PQDs are utilized as interface engineering layer in PSCs, delivering the best efficiency values of 21.99% and 23.42%, respectively, which is significantly enhanced compared to the control device (20.37%). More importantly, benefiting from its more hydrophobic properties, the F-CsPbI3 PQD treated device exhibits excellent ambient storage stability (25 °C, relative humidity: 35–45%), retaining over 80% of its initial efficiency after 1500 h aging.