Tailored interfacial crystal facets for efficient CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells

Abstract Interface engineering is generally requisite for highly efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the current interface engineering methods inevitably introduce extra modifier layers into PSCs, which not only complex the configurations and fabrication procedures, but also increase the production cost of PSCs. Herein, we propose an interface engineering strategy for PSCs by controlling the nature of Lead halide perovskite films, and specifically their interfacial grain facets. In detail, a solution-mediated secondary growth (SSG) technology is demonstrated to tailor interfacial grain facets in CH3NH3PbI3 PSC. The precise tailoring ability of interfacial grain facets is achieved by controlling SSG temperature. When it is optimized to 60 °C, interfacial grains of CH3NH3PbI3 film can be fully transform from dodecahedral-shaped ones enclosed by (100) and (112) facets to the cubic-shaped ones enclosed by (110) and (002) facets, while maintaining the film's crystalline phase and composition. More importantly, such transitions are accompanied by significantly improved average PCE from 16.51 ± 0.64% to 18.40 ± 0.67% for the optimized CH3NH3PbI3 PSCs, benefiting from the greatly suppressed recombination and enhanced extraction of carriers.