Atomic and electronic structure of perovskite/oxides interfaces

钙钛矿型太阳能电池(PSCs)具有给太阳能电池领域带来革命性变化的潜力。在过去的几十年里，它们的效率提高了几个数量级，这在太阳能电池领域是前所未有的。此外，它们的制造成本低，易于制造。因此，钙钛矿型太阳能电池作为下一代高效、低成本的太阳能电池受到了极大的关注。进一步提高效率、改善其稳定性以及使其环境友好，需要对氧化物电极(例如n型二氧化钛和p型二氧化镍)和钙钛矿层之间的界面有基本的了解。该项目旨在解决界面在电荷捕获和电荷复合过程中的作用，这些过程最终会降低太阳能电池的效率。主要目标是了解氧化物电极的结构和化学，以及它们与钙钛矿吸收层接触时产生的界面。此外，还将确定掺杂剂的作用及其对内部氧化物界面和氧化物-钙钛矿界面性质的影响。这将通过使用最先进的原子分辨率、电子显微镜成像和光谱学以及量子力学计算来实现。这一目标的实现将有助于开发新的掺杂策略以及开发生长策略，以创造更高效和更稳定的钙钛矿型太阳能电池。该项目将与GreatCell Solar Ltd联合进行。完整的太阳能电池结构将由GreatCell Sollar制造和光学表征，博士生将参与工艺，而在York他将在原子水平上进行结构表征和建模，并将所制造太阳能电池的功能和结构属性关联起来。此外，氧化物-钙钛矿层的模型界面将在约克生长并得到充分表征。

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have potentials to revolutionise the field of solar cells. Their efficiency in the last decades has increased by order of magnitude, which is unprecedented in the field of the solar cells. In addition, they are cheap to be made and easy to manufacture. Hence, the tremendous interest in perovskite solar cells as next generation of efficient and cost effective solar cells. Further efficiency enhancement, improving their stability as well as making them environmentally friendly requires fundamental understanding of the interfaces between the oxide electrode (e.g. n type-TiO2 and p type - NiO) and perovskite layer. This project aims to address the role of the interfaces regarding charge trapping and charge recombination processes which ultimately reduces the solar cell efficiency.The main objectives is to understand the structure and chemistry of oxide electrodes and the interface they create in contact with the perovskite absorber layer. In addition the role of dopants and their effect on the internal oxide boundaries and oxide-perovskite interfaces properties will be determined. This will be done by employing state of the art atomic resolution electron microscopy imaging and spectroscopy coupled with quantum mechanical calculations. Achieving of this goal will enable developing new doping strategy as well as developing growth strategy for creating more efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. This project will be conducted jointly with GreatCell Solar Ltd. The full solar cells structures will be fabricate and optically characterised by GreatCell Sollar, the PhD student will be involved in the processes, while at York he will perform structural characterisation and modelling on atomic level and will correlate the functional to structural properties of the fabricated solar cells. In addition, model interfaces of oxide-perovskite layers will be grown and fully characterised at York.