Publication date: 21st July 2025
Holey Passivation Layers for Perovskite Solar Cells
Inspired by the success of Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) technology in silicon photovoltaics, we present a universally applicable method to introduce nanoscale point contacts in perovskite solar cells using a polymer-based passivation strategy.
Our approach utilizes spin-coating of a solution composed of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and PCBM[70] in chlorobenzene directly onto bare perovskite films. During solvent evaporation, the blend undergoes spontaneous spinodal decomposition, resulting in the formation of PCBM-rich droplets embedded in a PMMA matrix. The size, density, and thickness of these features can be finely tuned by adjusting the concentration of the solution and spin-coating parameters. Typically, droplet radius in the nanometer range (40–1000 nm) can be achieved.
Following film formation, PCBM droplets are selectively removed by rinsing the film with a chloroform-based solution, leaving behind a porous PMMA matrix. These nanoscale holes serve as selective contact sites and are subsequently filled with the appropriate charge transport layers to obtain the required architecture.
This design significantly enhances the open-circuit voltage (Voc) of the solar cells by minimizing interfacial recombination across the majority of the device area while facilitating efficient charge extraction at the defined contact points. However, the reduction in contact area leads to locally intensified electric fields, which can accelerate ion migration within the perovskite layer, an effect that warrants further investigation, since this leads to a reduction in short circuit current and stability.
PhD candidate; Simon Quiroz Monnens at M2N group of the Technical University of Eindhoven
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