Gas-Assisted Spray Coating of Perovskite Solar Cells Incorporating Sprayed Self-Assembled Monolayers

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are becoming widely utilized as hole-selective layers in high-performance p-i-n architecture perovskite solar cells. Ultrasonic spray coating and airbrush coating are demonstrated here as effective methods to deposit MeO-2PACz; a carbazole-based SAM. Potential dewetting of hybrid perovskite precursor solutions from this layer is overcome using optimized solvent rinsing protocols. The use of air-knife gas-quenching is then explored to rapidly remove the volatile solvent from an MAPbI(3) precursor film spray-coated onto an MeO-2PACz SAM, allowing fabrication of p-i-n devices with power conversion efficiencies in excess of 20%, with all other layers thermally evaporated. This combination of deposition techniques is consistent with a rapid, roll-to-roll manufacturing process for the fabrication of large-area solar cells.

Automated summary

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are widely used as hole-selective layers in perovskite solar cells. Ultrasonic spray coating and airbrush coating are effective methods for depositing carbazole-based SAMs. Solvent rinsing protocols overcome the dewetting issue of hybrid perovskite precursor solutions. Air-knife gas-quenching is used to remove volatile solvents, allowing fabrication of high-efficiency p-i-n devices with large-area roll-to-roll manufacturing.