Optoelectronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10069025-B2
Application number	US-201314427930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2013
Priority date	Sep 18, 2012
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

The invention provides an optoelectronic device comprising a photoactive region, which photoactive region comprises: an n-type region comprising at least one n-type layer; a p-type region comprising at least one p-type layer; and, disposed between the n-type region and the p-type region: a layer of a perovskite semiconductor without open porosity. The perovskite semiconductor is generally light-absorbing. In some embodiments, disposed between the n-type region and the p-type region is: (i) a first layer which comprises a scaffold material, which is typically porous, and a perovskite semiconductor, which is typically disposed in pores of the scaffold material; and (ii) a capping layer disposed on said first layer, which capping layer is said layer of a perovskite semiconductor without open porosity, wherein the perovskite semiconductor in the capping layer is in contact with the perovskite semiconductor in the first layer. The layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity (which may be said capping layer) typically forms a planar heterojunction with the n-type region or the p-type region. The invention also provides processes for producing such optoelectronic devices which typically involve solution deposition or vapour deposition of the perovskite. In one embodiment, the process is a low temperature process; for instance, the entire process may be performed at a temperature or temperatures not exceeding 150° C.

First claim

The Invention claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic device comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode; and, disposed between the first and second electrodes,
a photoactive region, wherein the photoactive region comprises:
an n-type region comprising at least one n-type layer, provided that when the n-type layer comprises an inorganic material the n-type layer is a compact layer of the inorganic material;
a p-type region comprising at least one p-type layer, provided that when the p-type layer comprises an inorganic hole transporter the p-type layer is a compact layer of the inorganic hole transporter; and

a layer of a perovskite semiconductor without open porosity wherein the perovskite comprises a halide anion, wherein the layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is disposed between the n-type region and the p-type region, has a thickness of from 10 nm to 100 μm and forms a first planar heterojunction with the n-type region and a second planar heterojunction with the p-type region.

2. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is from 100 nm to 100 μm.

3. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is from 100 nm to 700 nm.

4. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity has a three-dimensional crystal structure.

5. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is a layer consisting of the perovskite semiconductor.

6. The photovoltaic device according to claim 5 , wherein the thickness of the layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is from 100 nm to 100 μm.

7. The photovoltaic device according to claim 5 , wherein the thickness of the layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is from 100 nm to 700 nm.

8. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the n-type region is an n-type layer provided that when the n-type layer comprises an inorganic material the n-type layer is a compact layer of the inorganic material.

9. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the n-type region comprises an n-type layer and an n-type exciton blocking layer.

10. The photovoltaic device according to claim 9 , wherein the n-type exciton blocking layer is disposed between the n-type layer and the layer(s) comprising the perovskite semiconductor.

11. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the p-type region is a p-type layer provided that when the p-type layer comprises an inorganic hole transporter the p-type layer is a compact layer of the inorganic hole transporter.

12. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the p-type region comprises a p-type layer and a p-type exciton blocking layer.

13. The photovoltaic device according to claim 12 , wherein the p-type exciton blocking layer is disposed between the p-type layer and the layer comprising the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity.

14. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity has a band gap of equal to or less than 3.0 eV.

15. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity comprises a first cation, a second cation, and at least one anion selected from halide anions.

16. The photovoltaic device according to claim 15 , wherein the second cation is a metal cation selected from Sn 2+ ,Pb 2+ and Cu 2+ .

17. The photovoltaic device according to claim 15 , wherein the first cation is an organic cation.

18. The photovoltaic device according to claim 17 , wherein the organic cation has the formula (R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N) + , wherein:
R 1 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl;
R 2 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl;
R 3 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl; and
R 4 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl.

19. The photovoltaic device according to claim 17 , wherein the organic cation has the formula (R 5 R 6 N═CH—NR 7 R 8 ) + , wherein: R 5 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl; R 6 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl; R 7 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl; and R 8 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, or unsubstituted or substituted aryl.

20. The photovoltaic device according to claim 15 , wherein the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is a mixed-anion perovskite comprising two or more different anions selected from halide anions and chalcogenide anions.

21. The photovoltaic device according to claim 20 , wherein the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity is a mixed-halide perovskite, wherein said two or more different anions are two or more different halide anions.

22. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second electrode is in contact with the n-type region of said photoactive region and the first electrode is in contact with the p-type region of said photoactive region,
wherein the first electrode comprises a transparent or semitransparent electrically conductive material, and
wherein the second electrode comprises a metal.

23. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 that is a tandem junction or multi junction photovoltaic device, wherein the device comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and, disposed between the first and second electrodes:
said photoactive region; and
at least one other photoactive region.

24. The photovoltaic device according to claim 23 comprising the first electrode, the second electrode, and, disposed between the first and second electrodes:
said photoactive region; and
at least one other photoactive region,
wherein the at least one other photoactive region comprises at least one layer of a semiconductor material.

25. The photovoltaic device according to claim 24 , wherein the semiconductor material comprises a layer of crystalline silicon, copper zinc tin sulphide, copper zinc tin selenide, copper zinc tin selenide sulphide, copper indium gallium selenide, copper indium gallium diselenide or copper indium selenide.

26. The photovoltaic device according to claim 24 comprising the following regions in the following order:
I. a first electrode;
II. a first photoactive region;
III. a layer (A) of a p-type semiconductor;
IV. a first layer of an intrinsic semiconductor;
V. a layer (B) of a p-type semiconductor or a layer (B) of an n-type semiconductor;
VI. a second layer of an intrinsic semiconductor;
VII. a layer (C) of an n-type semiconductor; and
VIII. a second electrode.

27. The photovoltaic device according to claim 24 comprising the following regions in the following order:
I. a first electrode;
II. a first photoactive region;
III. a layer of a transparent conducting oxide;
IV. a layer (D) of an n-type semiconductor;
V. a layer of c

Assignees

• Isis Innovation
• Univ Oxford Innovation Ltd

Inventors

• Snaith Henry James
• Crossland Edward James William
• Hey Andrew
• Ball James
• Lee Michael
• Docampo Pablo

Classifications

• Y02E10/549

  Organic PV cells · CPC title

• H01L31/022466

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/035272

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/0725

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L51/422

  Electricity · mapped topic