A Pyrrole-Bridged Bis(oxa[5]helicene)-Based Molecular Semiconductor for Efficient and Durable Perovskite Solar Cells: Microscopic Insights

Exotic organic semiconductors based on helicenes are attractive because of their peculiar topology-related optoelectronic properties and good solution-processability. We herein construct pyrrole-bridged bis(oxa[5]helicene) and further employ it as the pi-linker of a solution-processable molecular semiconductor (DOP-OMeDPA) with improved hole mobility and glass transition temperature compared with its oxa[5]helicene counterpart. A solution-processed, doped semiconducting composite of DOP-OMeDPA presents high conductivity and slow interfacial charge recombination in perovskite solar cells, enabling the fabrication of thermostable devices with 21.3% efficiency. The DOP-OMeDPA-based thin film exhibits excellent morphology stability at 60 degrees C and remarkably attenuates the thermal decomposition of perovskite. Molecular dynamics modeling uncovers the microscopic origin of glass transition, that is, the torsional vibration of electron-donor for pristine materials, compared with the translational motion of molecules in doped ones.

Automated summary

The study introduces a new organic semiconductor DOP-OMeDPA, which exhibits improved hole mobility and glass transition temperature compared to its oxa[5]helicene counterpart. A doped semiconducting composite based on DOP-OMeDPA shows high efficiency and thermal stability in perovskite solar cells.