Enhancement in photoelectric performance of flexible perovskite solar cells by thermal nanoimprint pillar-like nanostructures

• Published in: Materials letters 2019-08, Vol.248, p.16-19
• Main Authors: Gao, Mengyu, Han, Xuefei, Zhan, Xinghua, Liu, Pian, Shan, Yao, Chen, Yao, Li, Jing, Zhang, Rongjun, Wang, Songyou, Zhang, Qinghong, Zheng, Yuxiang, Chen, Liangyao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Circuits; Contact angle; Deionization; Energy conversion efficiency; Flexible perovskite solar cells; Functional; Light trapping; Materials science; Nanoimprinting; Nanostructure; Optical materials and properties; Perovskites; Photoelectricity; Photovoltaic cells; Reflectance; Short circuit currents; Solar cells; Solar energy materials
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2019.03.114

We fabricated pillar-like nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (refer as ns-ITO/PET) by thermal nanoimprinting method. The ns-ITO/PET was used in flexible perovskite solar cells (f-PSC). Compared to flat ITO/PET, pillar-like nanostructures could enhance light absorption as well as water contact angles. This is mainly due to the light trapping and surface roughening. The mechanism of antireflection is also explained in this paper. Besides, the absolute enhancement of short-circuit current density (Jsc) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) for f-PSC are nearly 0.48–1.75 mA/cm2 and 0.34–0.69% when tilt angles varied from 0 to 60°. The nanoimprinting method is cost-effective, and it can be utilized for different kinds of plastic-based solar cells. This method fabricates nanostructures on ITO/PET directly, and does not add any extra layer on PET surface. This makes f-PSCs more durable and does not cause risk of forming abrupt change of refractive index. [Display omitted] •Pillar-like nanostructures were fabricated on surface of ns-ITO/PET directly by cost-effective method: nanoimprinting.•The pillar-like nanostructures could enhance light absorption at different incident angles as well as water contact angles.•The short-circuit current density and power conversion efficiency for flexible perovskite solar cells could be enhanced.•This method can be utilized for different kinds of plastic-based solar cells. Pillar-like nanostructures were fabricated on surface of ITO/PET directly by thermal nanoimprinting. The reflectance spectra of ITO/PET have been reduced apparently at incident angles of light in range of 10–80°. Meanwhile, the contact angle of deionized (DI) water is also enhanced from 73.1 to 93.4°. The absolute enhancement of short-circuit current density (Jsc) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) for flexible perovskite solar cells are nearly 0.48–1.75 mA/cm2 and 0.34–0.69% when tilt angles varied from 0 to 60° in PCE measurement. This method is cost-effective, and can be utilized for different kinds of plastic-based solar cells.