Publication date: 11th March 2026
Inverted (p-i-n) lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have appeared as a promising alternative to conventional (n-i-p) architectures, given their advantage of lower processing temperatures, reduced hysteresis and compatibility with integration of tandem solar cells. In order for these cells to achieve competitive efficiencies, minimizing non-radiative combination losses at buried interfaces, especially between the perovskite absorber and the hole-transport layer, is required. Self Assembled Monolayers (SAMs), particularly Carbazole-based phosphonic ones, have been implemented in some of the highest-efficiency (PSCs).
The interpretations behind the success of this material have largely been inferred from device metrics and macroscopic electrical measurements. Spectroscopic analysis of the interfaces of SAMs within interfaces and particularly buried interfaces (which would be the case in practical applications) are severely lacking. The goal of this project has thus been to characterize the interfaces between oxide substrates (such as indium-doped tin oxide (ITO)) and SAM, eventually as a part of the buried SAM/Perovskite interfaces in inverted PSCs.
By performing spectroscopic analysis based on x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), at different photon energies, SAM adsorption on the surface, ITO surface energetics and molecular orientation can be revealed. A fundamental understanding of these molecules in PSCs will help explain the details of their success and help make the best choice of SAMs for high efficiency.
This work was partially supported by the Swedish Research Council (2023-05072), Formas (2022-02297), the Carl Tryggers Foundation (Grant no. CTS 21:1669), Swedish Energy Agency (P50626-1) and Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability (WISE) funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
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