Self-cleaning transparent photovoltaic device in ZnCo2O4/LaAlO3 pn junction via interfacial perovskite LaCrO3 quantum dots and surface plasma synergetic modification

• Regulated potential of LaCrO 3 QDs can act as transition layer to increase mobility. • LaCrO 3 QDs can balance the transmittance and photovoltaic conversion. • Surface plasma modification can increase hydrophobicity to achieve self-cleaning. • Self-cleaning performance can maintain the PCE in long-term actual applications. Transparent photovoltaic device shows great potential in future, and interfacial quantum dots transition layer with high quantum yield and appropriate potential transition provides new sights. Self-cleaning transparent device in LaCrO 3 quantum dots (QDs)-surface plasma (SP) synergistically modified ZnCo 2 O 4 /LaAlO 3 pn junction is prepared via sol–gel-hydrothermal-freeze drying-annealing-surface plasma method. ZnCo 2 O 4 /LaCrO 3 QDs/LaAlO 3 device exhibits a transparency of approximately 85 % and a photovoltaic enhancement by a factor of approximately 4.1 × 10 −3 (power conversion efficiency of ∼1.24 %), stable output over 5 months and good self-cleaning via hydrophobicity (contact angle ∼121.6°). It’s mainly attributed to LaCrO 3 QDs-SP synergetic modification. Besides appropriate potential and high quantum yield, LaCrO 3 QDs can improve kinetic equilibrium for transparency-PCE balance through increased p-type conductivity by the synergism of Cr 2+ /Cr 3+ –Co 2+ /Co 3+ mixed state. Moreover, SP modification can enhance solar and carrier efficiency via surface optimization, meanwhile achieving self-cleaning via its hydrophobicity, including providing surface passivation to maintain structural stability for actual applications.