Surface Passivation Toward Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Although metal halide perovskites are increasingly popular for the next generation of efficient photovoltaic devices,the inevitable defects from the preparation process have become the notorious barrier to further improvement of performance,which increases non-radiative recombination and lowers the power conversion efficiency of solar cells.Surface passivation strategies have been affirmed as one of the most practical approaches to suppress these defects.Therefore,it is necessary to have a detailed review on the surface passivation to reveal the improvements of the devices.Herein,the mechanism and recent advances of surface passivation have been systematically summarized with respect to various passivation approaches,including the Lewis acid–base,the low-dimensional perovskite,inorganic molecules,and polymers.Finally,the review also offers the research trend and prospects of surface passivation.

Recent Progress of Surface Passivation Molecules for Perovskite Solar Cell Applications

Due to the solution processable nature,the prepared perovskite films are polycrystalline with considerable number of defects.These defects,especially defects at interface accelerate the carrier recombination and reduce the carrier collection.Besides,the surface defects also affect the long-term stability of the perovskite solar cells(PVSCs).To solve this problem,surface passivation molecules are introduced at selective interface(the interface between perovskite and carrier selective layer).This review summarizes recent progress of small molecules used in PVSCs.Firstly,different types of defect states in perovskite films are introduced and their effects on device performance are discussed.Subsequently,surface passivation molecules are divided into four categories,and the interaction between the functional groups of the surface passivation molecules and selective defect states in perovskite films are highlighted.Finally,we look into the prospects and challenges in design noble small molecules for PVSCs applications.

Impact of Surface Passivation on the Electronic Structure and Optical Properties of the Si1-xGex Nanowires

The electronic structures and optical properties of the [llO]-oriented Sil-xGex nanowires （NWs） passivated with different functional groups （-H, -F and-OH） are investigated by using first-principles calculations. The results show that surface passivation influences the characteristics of electronic band structures significantly： the band gap widths and types （direct or indirect） of the Si1-xGe, NWs with different terminators show complex and robust variations, and the effective masses of the electrons in the NWs can be modulated dramatically by the terminators. The study of optical absorption shows that the main peaks of the parallel polarization component of Si1-x Gex NWs passivated with the functional groups exhibit prominent changes both in height and position, and are red-shifted with respect to those of corresponding pure Si NWs, indicating the importance of both the terminators and Ge concentrations. Our results demonstrate that the electronic and optical properties of Si1-xGex NWs can be tuned by utilizing selected functional groups as well as particular Ge concentrations for customizing purposes.

Crystalline silicon surface passivation investigated by thermal atomic-layer-deposited aluminum oxide

Atomic-layer-deposited（ALD） aluminum oxide（Al2O3） has demonstrated an excellent surface passivation for crystalline silicon（c-Si） surfaces, as well as for highly boron-doped c-Si surfaces. In this paper, water-based thermal atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 films are fabricated for c-Si surface passivation. The influence of deposition conditions on the passivation quality is investigated. The results show that the excellent passivation on n-type c-Si can be achieved at a low thermal budget of 250℃ given a gas pressure of 0.15 Torr. The thickness-dependence of surface passivation indicates that the effective minority carrier lifetime increases drastically when the thickness of Al2O3 is larger than 10 nm. The influence of thermal post annealing treatments is also studied. Comparable carrier lifetime is achieved when Al2O3 sample is annealed for 15 min in forming gas in a temperature range from 400℃ to 450℃. In addition, the passivation quality can be further improved when a thin PECVD-SiNx cap layer is prepared on Al2O3, and an effective minority carrier lifetime of2.8 ms and implied Voc of 721 mV are obtained. In addition, several novel methods are proposed to restrain blistering.

Efficiency enhancement of Cs_(0.1)(CH_(3)NH_(3))_(0.9)PbI_(3) perovskite solar cell by surface passivation using iso-butyl ammonium iodide

Efficiency enhancement of Cs_(0.1)(CH_(3)NH_(3))_(0.9)PbI_(3) solar cell devices was performed by using iso-butyl ammonium iodide(IBA)passivated on Cs_(0.1)(CH_(3)NH_(3))_(0.9)PbI_(3) films.The n-i-p structure of perovskite solar cell devices was fabricated with the structure of FTO/SnO_(2)/Cs_(0.1)(CH_(3)NH_(3))_(0.9)PbI_(3)(FTO,i.e.,fluorine doped tin oxide)and IBA/Spiro-OMeTAD/Ag.The effect of different weights of IBA passivated on Cs-doped perovskite solar cells(PSCs)was systematically investigated and compared with non-passivated devices.It was found that the 5-mg IBA-passivated devices exhibited a high power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 15.49%higher than 12.64%of non-IBA-passivated devices.The improvement of photovoltaic parameters of the 5-mg IBA-passivated device can be clearly observed compared to the Cs-doped device.The better performance of the IBA-passivated device can be confirmed by the reduction of PbI_(2) phase in the crystal structure,lower charge recombination rate,lower charge transfer resistance,and improved contact angle of perovskite films.Therefore,IBA passivation on Cs_(0.1)(CH_(3)NH)_(0.9)PbI_(3) is a promising technique to improve the efficiency of Cs-doped perovskite solar cells.

Enhanced efficiency and stability in Sn-based perovskite solar cells by trimethylsilyl halide surface passivation

Lead free tin perovskite solar cells(PKSCs)are the most suitable alternative candidate for conventional lead perovskite solar cells.However,the efficiency and the stability are insufficient,mainly because of the poor film quality and numerous defects.Here we introduce an efficient strategy based on a simple trimethylsilyl halide surface passivation to increase the film quality and reduce the defect density.At the same time,a hydrophobic protective layer on the perovskite surface is formed,which enhanced the PKSCs’stability.The efficiency of the solar cell after the passivation was enhanced from 10.05%to 12.22%with the improved open-circuit voltage from 0.57 V to 0.70 V.In addition,after 92 days of storage in N_(2) filled glovebox,the modified T-PKSCs demonstrated high stability maintaining 80%of its initial efficiency.This work provides a simple and widely used strategy to optimize the surface/interface optoelectronic properties of perovskites for giving more efficient and stable solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.

Performance enhancement of solution-processed InZnO thin-film transistors by Al doping and surface passivation

Solution-processed oxide semiconductors have been considered as a potential alternative to vacuum-based ones in printable electronics.However,despite spincoated InZnO(IZO)thin-film transistors(TFTs)have shown a relatively high mobil-ity,the lack of carrier suppressor and the high sensitivity to oxygen and water molecules in ambient air make them potentially suffer issues of poor stability.In this work,Al is used as the third cation doping element to study the effects on the electrical,optoelectronic,and physical properties of IZO TFTs.A hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer called octadecyltrimethoxysilane is introduced as the surface passivation layer,aiming to reduce the effects from air and understand the importance of top surface conditions in solution-processed,ultra-thin oxide TFTs.Owing to the reduced trap states within the film and at the top surface enabled by the doping and passivation,the optimized TFTs show an increased current on/off ratio,a reduced drain current hysteresis,and a significantly enhanced bias stress stability,compared with the untreated ones.By combining with high-capacitance AlO_(x),TFTs with a low operating voltage of 1.5 V,a current on/off ratio of>10^(4) and a mobility of 4.6 cm^(2)/(V·s)are demonstrated,suggesting the promising features for future low-cost,low-power electronics.

Surface Passivation of Nanocrystalline Silicon Powder Derived from Cryomilling

The surface passivation mechanism of nanocrystalline silicon powder was studied. The liquid nitrogen/argon was used as the medium to prepare the nanocrystalline silicon powder, using a cryomilling technology. The X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, plasma emission spectroscopy and infrared spectrum were used to analyze the prepared samples, and density functional theory was used to investigate the cryomilling process. For nanocrystalline silicon powder cryomilled with liquid N2, the amorphous outer layer with N element is formed On the surface, and chemisorption caused by the formation of Si-N-Si bond leads to the surface passivation; although physisorpfion also he confirmed, the Si-N bond is steady after exploded in air for 30 days and no new bond is observed. For nanocrystalline silicon powder cryomilled with liquid At, no new chemical bond is Observed, Ar element absorbs on the surface of the prepared powder only through physisorption, and after exploded in air for 30 days, a Si-O bond can be observed obviously.

Organic ligand nanoarchitectonics for BiVO_(4) photoanodes surface passivation and cocatalyst grafting

Bismuth vanadate(BiVO_(4))is a promising photoanode material for efficient photoelectrochemical(PEC)water splitting,whereas its performance is inhibited by detrimental surface states.To solve the problem,herein,a low-cost organic molecule 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid(BTC)is selected for surface passivation of BiVO_(4) photoanodes(BVOs),which also provides bonding sites for Co^(2+)to anchor,resulting in a Co-BTC-BVO photoanode.Owing to its strong coordination with metal ions,BTC not only passivates surface states of BVO,but also provides bonding between BVO and catalytic active sites(Co^(2+))to form a molecular cocatalyst.Computational study and interfacial charge kinetic investigation reveal that chemical bonding formed at the interface greatly suppresses charge recombination and accelerates charge transfer.The obtained Co-BTC-BVO photoanode exhibits a photocurrent density of 4.82 mA/cm^(2) at 1.23 V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)and a low onset potential of 0.22 VRHE under AM 1.5 G illumination,which ranks among the best photoanodes coupled with Co-based cocatalysts.This work presents a novel selection of passivation layers and emphasizes the significance of interfacial chemical bonding for the construction of efficient photoanodes.

Boosting efficiency and stability of 2D alternating cation perovskite solar cells via rational surface-modification: Marked passivation efficacy of anion

Two-dimensional(2D) alternating cation(ACI) perovskite surface defects,especially dominant iodine vacancies(V_Ⅰ) and undercoordinated Pb^(2+),limit the performance of perovskite solar cells(PVSCs).To address the issue,1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoro-methane-sulfonate(BMIMOTF) and its iodide counterpart(BMIMI) are utilized to modify the perovskite surface respectively.We find that BMIMI can change the perovskite surface,whereas BMIMOTF shows a nondestructive and more effective defect passivation,giving significantly reduced defect density and suppressed charge-carrier nonradiative recombination.This mainly attributes to the marked passivation efficacy of OTF-anion on V_Ⅰ and undercoordinated Pb^(2+),rather than BMIMI^(+) cation.Benefiting from the rational surface-modification of BMMIMOTF,the films exhibit an optimized energy level alignment,enhanced hydrophobicity and suppressed ion migration.Consequently,the BMIMOTF-modified devices achieve an impressive efficiency of 21.38% with a record open-circuit voltage of 1.195 V,which is among the best efficiencies reported for 2D PVSCs,and display greatly enhanced humidity and thermal stability.

High efficiency CZTSSe solar cells enabled by dual Ag-passivation approach via aqueous solution process

Ag substitution in Cu_(2)ZnSn(S,Se)_(4)(CZTSSe)is a promising way to mitigate Cu/Zn related defects,electrostatic fluctuations and Shockley-Read-Hall(SRH)recombination centers.However,high performance ACZTSSe solar cells are generally demonstrated with more Ag amounts and strenuous fabrication processes,which are not ideal when using cheap constituent materials CZTSSe.To reduce the Ag amount(2%-3%),local Ag substitutions into CZTSSe at front(F),back(B)and dual front/back(FB)were proposed.Experimental results revealed that F-passivation effectively reduced the Cu/Zn related defects and further limits the interface/bulk recombination whereas B-passivation improved the grain growth at the back interface and further allows enhanced transport of charge carriers.By employing the dual Agpassivation approach,the final ACZTSSe device parameters were significantly improved and remarkable power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 12.43%was achieved with eco-friendly aqueous solution process.

Highly Stable CsPbBr_(3) Nanocrystal Phosphors by Surface Passivation and Encapsulation

The colloidal all-inorganic CsPbX_(3)(X=I, Br, Cl) perovskite nanocrystals(NCs) with unique optical properties have attracted considerable attention in the field of semiconductor nanocrystals, but their application is hindered by stability issues caused by surface defects and environmental factors. Usually with inert layer encapsulation, the stability of CsPbX_(3) NCs can be significantly enhanced. However, due to the loss of highly dynamic oleic acid/oleylamine ligands, it is usually accompanied by a decrease in the photoluminescence quantum yield(PLQY). Herein, we report a facile method for preparing CsPbBr_(3) NCs based green phosphors with high stability and bright emission. With modification of colloidal CsPbBr_(3) NCs by di-dodecyldimethylammonium bromide and sequent encapsulation in the as-synthesized mesoporous MOF-5, the green emitting phosphors with enhanced stability and a PLQY of 77% were obtained. The phosphors exhibit enhanced resistance against ambient oxygen, UV light, heat treatment and water. These excellent properties show the potential value of our prepared NCs as stable phosphors in light-emitting devices.

ZnO Surface Passivation with Glucose Enables Simultaneously Improving Efficiency and Stability of Inverted Polymer:Non-fullerene Solar Cells

The power conversion efficiency(PCE)of polymer solar cells(PSCs)has exceeded 19%due to the rapid progress of photoactive organic materials,including conjugated polymer donors and the matched non-fullerene acceptors(NFAs).Due to the high density of oxygen vacancies and the consequent photocatalytic reactivity of ZnO,structure inverted polymer solar cells with the ZnO electron transport layer(ETL)usually suffer poor device photostability.In this work,the eco-friendly glucose(Glu)is found to simultaneously improve the efficiency and stability of polymer:NFA solar cells.Under the optimal conditions,we achieved improved PCEs from 14.77%to 15.86%for the PM6:Y6 solar cells.Such a PCE improvement was attributed to the improvement in J_(SC) and FF,which is ascribed to the smoother and more hydrophobic surface of the ZnO/Glu surface,thereby enhancing the charge extraction efficiency and inhibiting charge recombination.Besides,UV-Vis absorption spectra analysis revealed that glucose modification could significantly inhibit the photodegradation of Y6,resulting in a significant improvement in the stability of the device with 92%of its initial PCE after aging for 1250 h.The application of natural interface materials in this work brings hope for the commercial application of organic solar cells and provides new ideas for developing new interface materials.

Boron-rich layer removal and surface passivation of boron-doped p–n silicon solar cells

In boron-doped p+-n crystalline silicon（Si） solar cells, p-type boron doping control and surface passivation play a vital role in the realization of high-efficiency and low cost pursuit. In this study, boron-doped p+-emitters are formed by boron diffusion in an open-tube furnace using borontribromide（BBr3） as precursor. The formed emitters are characterized in detail in terms of shape of the doping profile, surface doping concentration, junction depth, sheet resistance and removal of the boron-rich layer（BRL）. In the aspect of BRL removal, three different methods were adopted to investigate their influence on device performance. The results demonstrate that our proposed chemical etch treatment（CET） with the proper etching time could be an effective way to remove the BRL.After removal of the BRL, Al;O;/SiN;stacks are deposited by atomic layer deposition（ALD） and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition（PECVD） to passivate the cell surface. It was found that a reasonably-high implied Voc of 680 mV has been achieved for the fabricated n-type Si solar cells.

Design and roles of RGO-wrapping in charge transfer and surface passivation in photoelectrochemical enhancement of cascade-band photoanode

Fast charge transfer and anti-photocorrosion are two crucial factors for developing efficient, durable photoanodes for photoelectrochemical （PEC） cells. Reduced graphene oxide （RGO） is a promising photoanode element that can provide both of these. In this study, we elucidated the roles of RGO in the charge transfer and surface passivation of photoanodes by the precise design of a RGO-wrapped photoanode and examination of its PEC properties. Arrays of hetero-nanorods （HNRs） with three different designs were fabricated as photoanodes using RGO, CdSe nanoparticles （NPs）, and ZnO nanorods （NRs） as building blocks. CdSe@ZnO HNRs were prepared by decorating ZnO NRs with CdSe NPs. Finite-element analysis and experimental studies demonstrated that in the CdSe@ZnO HNRs, if only the ZnO NRs were wrapped by RGO, the conductivity between CdSe and ZnO was enhanced by RGO to shuttle charges. If RGO only surrounded the outside of the CdSe@ZnO HNRs, the corrosion was slowed owing to the passivation effect of RGO, which increased the electron lifetime of the photoanode. If both CdSe and ZnO were fully wrapped by RGO, the advantages of the two aforementioned cases were both obtained. RGO-wrapped CdSe@ZnO HNRs with position-controlled designs are promising photoanode materials with a high PEC efficiency, and the developed synthesis process can be applied to explore the design and fabrication of next-generation photoanodes using RGO as a buildin~ block.

Sodium Nitrate Passivation as a Novel Insulation Technology for Soft Magnetic Composites

Sodium nitrate passivation has been developed as a new insulation technology for the production of FeSiAl soft magnetic composites (SMCs). In this work, the evolution of coating layers grown at different pH values is investigated involving analyses on their composition and microstructure. An insulation coating obtained using an acidic NaNO_(3) solution is found to contain Fe2O_(3), SiO_(2), Al2O_(3), and AlO(OH). The Fe2O_(3) transforms into Fe3O4 with weakened oxidizability of the NO_(3)– at an elevated pH, whereas an alkaline NaNO_(3) solution leads to the production of Al2O_(3), AlO(OH), and SiO_(2). Such growth is explained from both thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives and is correlated to the soft magnetic properties of the FeSiAl SMCs. Under tuned passivation conditions, optimal performance with an effective permeability of 97.2 and a core loss of 296.4 mW∙cm−3 is achieved at 50 kHz and 100 mT.

Surface Treatment of Inorganic CsPbI_(3) Nanocrystals with Guanidinium Iodide for Efficient Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes with High Brightness

The remarkable evolution of metal halide perovskites in the past decade makes them promise for next-generation optoelectronic material.In particular,nanocrystals(NCs)of inorganic perovskites have demonstrated excellent performance for light-emitting and display applications.However,the presence of surface defects on the NCs negatively impacts their performance in devices.Herein,we report a compatible facial post-treatment of CsPbI_(3) nanocrystals using guanidinium iodide(GuI).It is found that the GuI treatment effectively passivated the halide vacancy defects on the surface of the NCs while offering effective surface protection and exciton confinement thanks to the beneficial contribution of iodide and guanidinium cation.As a consequence,the film of treated CsPbI_(3) nanocrystals exhibited significantly enhanced luminescence and charge transport properties,leading to high-performance light-emitting diode with maximum external quantum efficiency of 13.8%with high brightness(peak luminance of 7039 cd m^(−2) and a peak current density of 10.8 cd A^(−1)).The EQE is over threefold higher than performance of untreated device(EQE:3.8%).The operational half-lifetime of the treated devices also was significantly improved with T50 of 20 min(at current density of 25 mA cm^(−2)),outperforming the untreated devices(T50~6 min).

Surface Leakage Currents in SiN and Al_2O_3 Passivated AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Surface leakage currents of A1GaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors are investigated by utilizing a circular double-gate structure to eliminate the influence of mesa leakage current. Different mechanisms are found under various passivation conditions. The mechanism of the surface leakage current with AI2 03 passivation follows the two-dimensional variable range hopping model, while the mechanism of the surface leakage current with SiN passivation follows the Frenkel-Poole trap assisted emission. Two trap levels are found in the trap-assisted emission. One trap level has a barrier height of 0.22eV for the high electric field, and the other trap level has a barrier height of 0.12eV for the low electric field.

Brominated PEAI as Multi-Functional Passivator for High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cell

The interfaces of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)are well known to be rich in deep-level carrier traps,which serve as non-radiative recombination centers and limit the open-circuit voltage(Voc)and power conversion efficiency(PCE)of PSCs.Defect chemistry and surface passivators have been researched extensively and mainly focused on the neutralization of uncoordinated lead or anion defects.Herein,a novel brominated passivator 2-bromophenethylammonium iodide(2-Br-PEAI)is introduced for a multi-functional passivation effect at the perovskite interface.The brominated species readily form 2D perovskite on top of the 3D perovskite and multi-interact with the 3D perovskite surface.Apart from the halide vacancy filling and anion bonding ability,the Br atoms on the benzene ring can interact with the FA cations via strong hydrogen bonding N-H…Br and interact with the[PbI_(6)]^(4−)inorganic framework.The interface defects in the PSCs are well passivated,minimizing non-radiative recombination and enhancing device performance.As a result,a champion PCE of 24.22%was achieved with high V_(oc)and fill factor.In addition,modified devices also showed enhanced operational stability(retention of>95%initial PCE after 400 h)and humidity resistance(>90%initial PCE maintained after 1500 h under~50%RH).

One-step calcination synthesis of interface-coherent crystallized and surface-passivated LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4) for high-voltage lithium-ion battery

LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4)(LNMO)with a spinel crystal structure presents a compelling avenue towards the development of economic cobalt-free and high voltage(~5 V)lithium-ion batteries.Nevertheless,the elevated operational voltage of LNMO gives rise to pronounced interfacial interactions between the distorted surface lattices characterized by Jahn-Teller(J-T)distortions and the electrolyte constituents.Herein,a localized crystallized coherent LaNiO_(3) and surface passivated Li_(3)PO_(4) layer is deposited on LNMO via a one-step calcination process.As evidenced by transmission electron microscopy(TEM),time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry(ToF-SIMS)and density functional theory(DFT)calculation,the epitaxial growth of LaNiO_(3) along the LNMO lattice can effectively stabilize the structure and inhibit irreversible phase transitions,and the Li_(3)PO_(4) surface coating can prevent the chemical reaction between HF and transition metals without sacrificing the electrochemical activity.In addition,the ionic conductive Li_(3)PO_(4) and atomic wetting inter-layer enables fast charge transfer transport property.Consequently,the LNMO material enabled by the lattice bonding and surface passivating features,demonstrates high performance at high current densities and good capacity retention during long-term test.The rational design of interface coherent engineering and surface coating layers of the LNMO cathode material offers a new perspective for the practical application of high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.