• Chao Liu
  • Roberto Félix
  • Karen Forberich
  • Xiaoyan Du
  • Thomas Heumüller
  • Gebhard J. Matt
  • Ening Gu
  • Jonas Wortmann
  • Yicheng Zhao
  • Yuanyuan Cao
  • Yakun He
  • Lei Ying
  • Alina Hauser
  • Marek F. Oszajca
  • Benjamin Hartmeier
  • Michael Rossier
  • Norman A. Lüchinger
  • Yi Sheng Liu
  • Jinghua Guo
  • Kaiqi Nie
  • Regan G. Wilks
  • Marcus Bär
  • Ning Li
  • Christoph J. Brabec

Simultaneously enhancing device performance and longevity, as well as balancing the requirements on cost, scalability, and simplification of processing, is the goal of interface engineering of organic solar cells (OSCs). In our work, we strategically introduce antimony (Sb3+) cations into an efficient and generic n-type SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) host during the scalable flame spray pyrolysis synthesis. Accordingly, a significant switch of conduction property from an n-type character to a p-type character is observed, with a corresponding shift in the work function (WF) from 4.01 ± 0.02 eV for pristine SnO2 NPs to 5.28 ± 0.02 eV for SnO2 NPs with 20 mol. % Sb content (ATO). Both pristine SnO2 and ATO NPs with fine-tuned optoelectronic properties exhibit remarkable charge carrier extraction properties, excellent UV resistance and photo-stability being compatible with various state-of-the-art OSCs systems. The reliable and scalable pristine SnO2 and ATO NPs processed by doctor-blading in air demand no complex post-treatment. Our work offers a simple but unique approach to accelerate the development of advanced interfacial materials, which could circumvent the major existing interfacial problems in solution-processed OSCs.

Original languageEnglish
Article number106373
Number of pages10
JournalNano Energy
Volume89
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Nov 2021

    Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Science(all)
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

    Research areas

  • Antimony doped tin oxide, Doping mechanism, Interface engineering, Metal oxide nanoparticles, Organic photovoltaics, STABILITY, LAYERS, FILMS, TRANSITION-METAL OXIDES, GAP, SNO2, SURFACE, PRODUCE, ZNO, HETEROJUNCTION SOLAR-CELLS

ID: 86101887