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An X-ray scattering and electron microscopy study of methylammonium bismuth perovskites for solar cell applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2017

Chan Kyu Kwak ,
Alex T. Barrows ,
Andrew J. Pearson ,
David G. Lidzey  and
Alan D.F. Dunbar Open the ORCID record for Alan D.F. Dunbar [Opens in a new window]
Chan Kyu Kwak
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, U.K.
Alex T. Barrows
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, U.K.
Andrew J. Pearson
Affiliation:
Optoelectronics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
David G. Lidzey
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, U.K.
Alan D.F. Dunbar*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, U.K.
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: a.dunbar@sheffield.ac.uk
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Abstract

Photovoltaics made from organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite semiconductors are attracting significant interest due to their ability to harvest sunlight with remarkable efficiency. The presence of lead in the best performing devices raises concerns regarding their toxicity, a problem that may create barriers to commercialization. Hybrid perovskites with reduced lead content are being investigated to overcome this issue and here we evaluate bismuth as a possible lead substitute. For a series of hybrid perovskite films with the general composition CH3NH3(Pb y Bi1−y )I3−x Cl x , we characterize their optical and structural properties using UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering. We show that they form crystalline structures with an optical band gap, around 2 eV for CH3NH3BiI3. However, preliminary solar cell tests show low power conversion efficiencies (<0.01%) due to both incomplete precursor conversion and material de-wetting from the substrate. The overall outcome is severely limited photocurrent. With current processing methods the general applicability of hybrid bismuth perovskites in photovoltaics may be limited.

Keywords

photovoltaicsGIWAXSbismuthhybrid perovskites
Type
Invited Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 32 , Issue 10: Focus Issue: Microstructural Characterization for Emerging Photovoltaic Materials , 26 May 2017 , pp. 1888 - 1898
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Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

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Footnotes

Contributing Editor: Chris Nicklin

References

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