Reducing the energy loss and retarding the carrier recombination at the interface are crucial to improve the performance of the perovskite solar cell (PSCs). However, little is known about the recombination mechanism at the interface of anode and SnO 2 electron transfer layer (ETL). In this work, an ultrathin wide bandgap dielectric MgO nanolayer is incorporated between SnO 2 :F (FTO) electrode and SnO 2 ETL of planar PSCs, realizing enhanced electron transporting and hole blocking properties. With the use of this electrode modifier, a power conversion efficiency of 18.23% is demonstrated, an 11% increment compared with that without MgO modifier. These improvements are attributed to the better properties of MgO-modified FTO/SnO 2 as compared to FTO/SnO 2 , such as smoother surface, less FTO surface defects due to MgO passivation, and suppressed electron–hole recombinations. Also, MgO nanolayer with lower valance band minimum level played a better role in hole blocking. When FTO is replaced with Sn-doped In 2 O 3 (ITO), a higher power conversion efficiency of 18.82% is demonstrated. As a result, the device with the MgO hole-blocking layer exhibits a remarkable improvement of all J–V parameters. This work presents a new direction to improve the performance of the PSCs based on SnO 2 ETL by transparent conductive electrode surface modification.
In this study, the interface effects of Cu 2 O and Au/Cu 2 O semiconductors were improved by addition of a magnesia (MgO) interface nanolayer (MIN) deposited via precipitation. The morphologies, crystal structures, chemical compositions, elemental states and optical properties of MgO/Cu 2 O and Au/MgO/Cu 2 O heterojunctions were characterized via SEM, XRD, XPS, UV–VIS–NIR and PL. It was found that the MIN has a surface passivation effect that inhibits the aggregation and oxidation of Cu 2 O. This enhances Cu 2 O semiconductors’ wettability and stability, improves crystallinity and reduces Au particle sizes. More importantly, the MIN promotes charge transfer via tunneling through the insulator, and enhances adsorption of molecular oxygen, facilitating superoxide radicals formation during photoreactivity. MgO/Cu 2 O and Au/MgO/Cu 2 O exhibited superior photodegradation of methyl orange, attributed to the boost of O 2 − and h + . This work confirmed the importance of MIN as a useful modification of semiconductor photocatalysts, and the MIN can significantly enhance the production of superoxide radicals in the photocatalytic activity with visible light.