Enhanced photovoltaic performance of SmMoSe2 electron transport layer for perovskite solar cells

Abstract

Electron transport layers (ETLs) are crucial components in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), facilitating efficient electron collection and reducing recombination losses. While transition metal dichalcogenides have shown promise as ETLs, the potential of samarium (Sm)-encapsulated (5% and 10%) molybdenum diselenide (MoSe₂) remains unexplored. This study investigates the impact of hydrothermal synthesis incorporating SmMoSe₂ on the physicochemical properties and photovoltaic performance of PSCs. J-V performance demonstrates a significant enhancement in solar cell performance with samarium encapsulation. The MoSe₂ exhibited a Jsc of 11.27 mA/cm², Voc of 1.02 V, fill factor of 70%, and power conversion efficiency of 7.97%. In comparison, the SmMoSe₂ 5% sample showed improved performance with a Jsc of 13.02 mA/cm², Voc of 1.02 V, fill factor of 78%, and efficiency of 9.46%. The SmMoSe₂ 10% sample demonstrated the best performance, with a Jsc of 13.93 mA/cm², Voc of 1.03 V, fill factor of 82%, and a notable power conversion efficiency increase to 10.24%. The enhanced performance of SmMoSe₂ 10% PSCs can be attributed to accelerated charge transfer at the ETL, improved crystalline morphology and size, reduced band gap, and increased surface area. These findings suggest that SmMoSe₂ electron transport layers can substantially enhance the performance of perovskite solar cells, with higher doping levels leading to greater improvements in efficiency.