Featuring of Tin Oxide Electron Transport Layer with Perovskite Solar Cell: Electrical and Optical Performance Study

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are famous for their remarkable efficiency and promising potential for low-cost fabrication, which is configured with a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) base window layer and methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) absorption layer found better electrical performance. However, optical loss due to moderate optical properties and degradation is the main challenge for FTO-configured perovskite solar cells. This research intends to enhance the optical properties and electrical properties of hybrid perovskite solar cells featuring 10, 20, 30, and 40 nm of tin oxide (SnO2) electron transport layer (ETL), which is formed through the atomic layer deposition technique. Final perovskite solar cells consist of FTO/SnO2/CH3NH3PbI3/poly(triarylamine) (PTAA)/fullerene (PCBM)/copper (Cu) layers. However, the role of SnO2 ETL thickness in influencing the efficiency and stability of PSCs remains an active area of investigation. The findings underscore the potential of tailored ETL architectures to elevate the overall performance and environmental robustness of PSCs. The 40 nm SnO2 layer, optimized for the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.0%, achieved the greatest short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 25 mA/cm2, open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.18 V, and fill factor (FF) of 78.1%. This configuration also recorded the highest absorption coefficient of 3.0 × 104 cm–1 and an optical band gap of 1.59 eV in the perovskite absorber layer, driven by enhanced charge extraction and minimized recombination.