Spontaneous decoration of ionic compounds at perovskite interfaces to achieve 23.38% efficiency with 85% fill factor in NiO_X-based perovskite solar cells

Inorganic hole transport materials, particularly NiO_X, have shown considerable promise in boosting the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells. However, a major barrier to commercialization of NiO_X-based perovskite solar cells with positive-intrinsic-negative architectures is their direct contact with the absorbing layer, which can lead to losses of photovoltage and fill factor. Furthermore, highly positive under-coordinated Ni cations degrade the perovskite at the interface. Here, we address these issues with the use of an ionic compound(QAPyBF_(4)) as an additive to passivate defects throughout the perovskite layer and improve carrier conduction and interactions with under-coordinated Ni cations. Specifically,the highly electronegative inorganic anion [BF_(4)]~- interacts with the NiO_x/perovskite interface to passivate under-coordinated cations(Ni^(≥3+)). Accordingly, the decorated cells achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.38% and a fill factor of 85.5% without a complex surface treatment or NiO_X doping.