Infiltration of CsPbI3:EuI2 Perovskites into TiO2 Spongy Layers Deposited by gig-lox Sputtering Processes

Abstract

Perovskite solar cells have become a popular alternative to traditional silicon solar cells due to their potential to provide high-efficiency, low-cost, and lightweight solar energy harvesting solutions. However, the multilayer architecture of perovskite solar cells demands careful investigation of the interaction and interfacing between the various layers, as they play a crucial role in determining the overall performance of the cell. In this context, the present work aims at analyzing the coupling between a spongy transparent electron-transporting layer (ETL) and perovskite in a formulation CsPbI3:EuI2. The ETL used in this work is a transparent mesoporous TiO2 layer called “gig-lox” (grazing incidence angle geometry–local oxidation), which has been optimized to boost the interfacing with the perovskite for achieving a highly interconnected blend of materials. The gig-lox TiO2 ETL shows a high surface wettability with respect to the perovskite solution, especially after pre-annealing at 500 °C, and this enables the perovskite material to deeply infiltrate throughout it. The surface wettability of the gig-lox TiO2 has been estimated by contact angle measurements, while the deep infiltration of the perovskite material has been demonstrated through X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses. Thanks to the achieved deep infiltration, the photo-generated charge injection from the perovskite into the mesoporous oxide is enhanced with respect to the use of a planar compact oxide, as shown by the photoluminescence measurements. The mainstay of the approach resides in the ETL that is deposited by a solvent-free sputtering method and is up-scalable for high industrial throughput.