A N-Ethylcarbazole-Terminated Spiro-Type Hole-Transporting Material for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

The development of stable and efficient hole-transporting materials (HTMs) is critical for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a novel spiro-type HTM was designed and synthesized where N-ethylcarbazole-terminated groups fully substituted the methoxy group of spiro-OMeTAD, named spiro-carbazole. The developed molecule exhibited a lower highest occupied molecular orbital level, higher hole mobility, and extremely high glass transition temperature (T-g=196 degrees C) compared with spiro-OMeTAD. PSCs with the developed molecule exhibited a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.01 %, which surpassed traditional spiro-OMeTAD (21.12 %). Importantly, the spiro-carbazole-based device had dramatically better thermal, humid, and long-term stability than spiro-OMeTAD.

Automated summary

The development of stable and efficient hole-transporting materials is crucial for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells. In this study, a novel spiro-type HTM called spiro-carbazole was designed and synthesized. The spiro-carbazole-based devices exhibited higher efficiency and improved stability compared to traditional spiro-OMeTAD.