A new study from the Nanofabrication, Optoelectronics and Energy Applications (NOA) Group at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), developed in collaboration with the University of Aveiro, ISEP and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, demonstrates how gold nanoparticles can be used to improve charge extraction and interface passivation in planar perovskite solar cells. The work has been published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, a D1 (top decile) international journal in the field of materials science, underscoring the scientific quality and impact of the results.
The publication, entitled "Beyond Plasmonics: Au Nanoparticles as Electron Sinks in TiO₂ for Interface Passivation Enhancement in Planar Perovskite Solar Cells," presents a new understanding of the role of gold nanoparticles embedded within sputtered TiO₂ electron transport layers. Rather than acting primarily through plasmonic light enhancement, the nanoparticles behave as electron sinks, modulating the electrical potential at the TiO₂/perovskite interface and reducing charge recombination.
By optimizing the nanoparticle size, concentration and encapsulation thickness, the team achieved an average power conversion efficiency increase from 12.9% to 14.2%, with the best-performing device reaching 15.26%. The study also shows that carefully controlling the nanoparticle concentration is essential: while low concentrations improve interface passivation and charge extraction, excessive loading creates transport bottlenecks that negatively affect device performance.
Beyond improving photovoltaic efficiency, the work demonstrates that gold nanoparticles can suppress the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ under UV illumination, contributing to improved interface stability. These findings provide new insights into interface engineering strategies for developing more efficient and durable perovskite solar cells using scalable sputtering-based fabrication processes.
This publication further strengthens the NOA Group's activities in advanced photovoltaic materials and interface engineering, contributing to the development of next-generation thin-film solar technologies with higher efficiency, improved stability and scalable manufacturing.
https://pubs.acs.org/aamick/article/18/5/8321/5076463/Beyond-Plasmonics-Au-Nanoparticles-as-Electron