Design and Comparative Performance Analysis of High-Efficiency Lead-Based and Lead-Free Perovskite Solar Cells

Herein, the design and an analysis of photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with the Cs containing halide perovskites caesium lead iodide (CsPbI3), caesium tin iodide (CsSnI3) and caesium germanium iodide (CsGeI3) as absorber layers are involved. The device configuration consists of the aforementioned absorber layers with PCBM and Cu2O as the transport materials. The study shows that the device configuration FTO/PCBM/CsSnI3/Cu2O/Au exhibits the best photovoltaic performance with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.13% and a fill factor of 75.91%. The other solar cell device configurations FTO/PCBM/CsPbI3/Cu2O/Au, FTO/PCBM/CsGeI3/Cu2O/Au and FTO/PCBM/MAPbI(3)/Cu2O/Au exhibit a PCE of 14.66%, 17.26% and 19.46% respectively. In this study, the optical absorption spectrum and other input parameters of CsPbI3, CsSnI3 and CsGeI3 perovskite absorber layers are generated with the help of WIEN2k software using the principles of density functional theory (DFT). Further, an optimization of all the device configurations is done to identify the optimum input parameters of the absorber layers and operating conditions for all the device configurations. The study shows that the device configuration FTO/PCBM/CsSnI3/Cu2O/Au exhibits a good quantum efficiency also in the visible and near IR region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the design and analysis of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using Cs containing halide perovskites as absorber layers. The study shows that the device configuration FTO/PCBM/CsSnI3/Cu2O/Au exhibits the best photovoltaic performance with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.13% and a fill factor of 75.91%. The study also generates the optical absorption spectrum and other input parameters of the perovskite absorber layers using the principles of density functional theory (DFT) and optimizes all the device configurations.