Water-Free, Conductive Hole Transport Layer for Reproducible Perovskite-Perovskite Tandems with Record Fill Factor

State-of-the-art perovskite-perovskite tandem solar cells incorporate a water-based poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) hole transport layer in its low bandgap subcell. However, there is a limitation regarding its use due to the moisture sensitivity of perovskites and the insulating property of PSS. Here, we overcome the limitation by using a water-free and PSS-free PEDOT-based hole transport layer for low bandgap single-junction perovskite solar cells and in perovskite-perovskite tandems. The champion tandem cell produces an efficiency of 21.5% and a fill factor of 85.8%, the highest for any perovskite-based double-junction tandems. Results of photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and conductive atomic force microscopy reveal evidence of enhanced conductivity of water-free and PSS-free PEDOT compared to its conventional counterpart. The use of water-free and PSS-free PEDOT also eliminates decomposition of high bandgap subcell with its interfacing layer stack in a tandem that otherwise occurs with conventional PEDOT:PSS. This leads to enhanced reproducibility of perovskite-perovskite tandems.

Automated summary

State-of-the-art perovskite-perovskite tandem solar cells use a water-based PEDOT:PSS hole transport layer in the low bandgap subcell, but its use is limited due to moisture sensitivity and insulating property. We overcome this limitation by using a water-free and PSS-free PEDOT-based hole transport layer, achieving higher efficiency and reproducibility in perovskite-perovskite tandems.