Publication date: 17th February 2025
Traps and structural defects at the hole and electron transport interfaces of the microcrystalline absorber limits the efficiency and long-term stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to accumulation of the ionic clusters, non-radiative recombination and electrochemical corrosion. Surface engineering using self-assembled monolayers (SAM) was considered as an effective strategy for modification of charge-collection junctions. We have investigated how flourinated and non-flourinated triphenylamine based SAMs affect surface properties, charge transport, efficiency and stability in inverted perovskite solar cells and modules. We tested different SAMs for interface stabilization both from p- and n-junction of p-i-n PSCs. While p-side integration of FTPATC reduced the strain in the lattice of the perovskite layer, the n-side configuration was characterized by chemical interaction via bonding with A-site cations, which stabilized the interfaces. With this, the double-side passivation strategy with FTPATC has a synergetic effect: p-side modification gains the PCE up to 22.2 %, the incorporation of FTPATC to electron-transport boosts the stability of the devices under harsh conditions at the elevated temperatures (90 °C). Comparing our results with the benchmark material 2PACz highlighted a critical specificity in ETL interface modification.