Method for generating electricity using a multilayer perovskite solar cell
A lead-free solar cell includes, in the following order, a back metal contact layer including gold (Au), a hole transport layer (HTL) including copper oxide (Cu 2 O), an inorganic absorber layer including rubidium germanium iodide (RbGeI 3 ), a perovskite absorber layer including methylammonium tin iodide (MASnI 3 ), an electron transport layer (ETL) including C 60 , and a front contact layer including indium tin oxide (ITO). The solar cell achieves a current density (J sc ) of greater than or equal to 20 milliamperes per square centimeter (mA/cm 2 ) at an open-circuit voltage (V OC ) of 0.94 volts (V).
1 . A method for generating electricity from sunlight, comprising:
exposing a lead-free solar cell to sunlight, wherein the lead-free solar cell comprises, in the following order:
a back metal contact layer including gold (Au);
a hole transport layer (HTL) including copper oxide (Cu 2 O);
an inorganic absorber layer including rubidium germanium iodide (RbGeI 3 );
a perovskite absorber layer including methylammonium tin iodide (MASnI 3 );
an electron transport layer (ETL) including fullerene (C 60 ); and
a front contact layer including indium tin oxide (ITO);
wherein the solar cell achieves a current density (J sc ) of greater than or equal to 30 milliamperes per square centimeter (mA/cm 2 ) at an open-circuit voltage (V OC ) of 0.94 volts (V),
wherein the ETL has a thickness of 0.03 μm, the perovskite absorber layer has a thickness of 0.4 μm, the inorganic absorber layer has a thickness of 0.4 μm, and the HTL has a thickness of 0.12 μm.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solar cell has a power conservation efficiency (PCE) greater than or equal to 15 percent (%) based on the total power used at conditions of 32.7 mA/cm 2 and a V OC of 0.94 V.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the solar cell has a PCE greater than or equal to 17.5% based on the total power used at conditions of 32.7 mA/cm 2 and a V OC of 0.94 V.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the solar cell has a PCE greater than or equal to 20% based on the total power used at conditions of 32.7 mA/cm 2 and a V OC of 0.94 V.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the HTL has an energy bandgap in a range from 2.07 to 2.27 electron volts (eV) and the ETL has an energy bandgap in a range from 1.60 to 1.80 eV.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic absorber layer has an energy bandgap in a range from 1.21 to 1.41 eV and the perovskite absorber layer has an energy bandgap in a range from 1.2 to 1.4 eV.