Discrete SnO2 Nanoparticle-Modified Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene):Poly(Styrenesulfonate) for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is the most widely used hole transport materials for perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) with a p-i-n structure. However, the solar cells based on PEDOT:PSS show a low photoconversion efficiency due to the poor crystallinity of a perovskite film on it. Besides, the acidity of PEDOT:PSS performance critically influences the long-term stability of PVSCs. Herein, a layer of the discrete SnO2 nanoparticle film is deposited on the surface of PEDOT:PSS to modify the surface of the PEDOT:PSS film. This discrete SnO2 nanoparticle film acts as the buffer layer between the PEDOT:PSS and MAPbI(3), which not only improves the crystallization of the quality of the perovskite film, but also provides a selective-carrier pathway to enhance the extraction of holes and to block the diffusion of electrons. The SnO2 modified devices show a power conversion efficiency of 18.04%, with a great improvement compared with the 12.24% efficiency of PEDOT:PSS only devices. This work demonstrates that it is possible to enhance the performance of PVSCs via n-type nanoparticle modification of hole transport layer and provides a new guidance for PVSCs interface modification engineering.