Low-temperature processed yttrium-doped SrSnO3 perovskite electron transport layer for planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells with high efficiency

Developing novel low-cost and efficient electron transport layer (ETL) materials for high-efficiency planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells (PSCs) still remains challenges. Herein, we report a low-temperature colloid-synthesized and solution-deposited strontium stannate SrSnO3 (SSO) perovskite oxide nanoparticle can be an effective alternative ETL. More importantly, the introduction of yttrium dopant results in a significant improvement in the optoelectronic properties of yttrium-doped SrSnO3 (YSSO), exhibiting higher electron conductivity and faster electron transfer, as well as better band alignment at ETL/perovskite interface compare to undoped SSO, which is also supported by theory calculation. Consequently, these factors boost all photovoltaic performance parameters, leading to an improvement in the efficiency of planar PSCs. The resulting YSSO-based PSCs exhibit an average efficiency of 17.8% and a maximum power conversion efficiency of 19.0% with the significant reduction of J–V hysteresis, and those devices show high long-term stability as well. Our findings provide the full potential of the perovskite oxide toward future photovoltaic applications, especially for cost-efficient planar PSCs.