2D-Self-Assembled Organic Materials in Undoped Hole Transport Bilayers for Efficient Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

Interfaces between
photoactive perovskite layer and selective contacts
play a key role in the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
The properties of the interface can be modified by the introduction
of molecular interlayers between the halide perovskite and the transporting
layers. Herein, two novel structurally related molecules, 1,3,5-tris(α-carbolin-6-yl)benzene
(TACB) and the hexamethylated derivative of truxenotris(7-azaindole)
(TTAI), are reported. Both molecules have the ability
to self-assemble through reciprocal hydrogen bond interactions, but
they have different degrees of conformational freedom. The benefits
of combining these tripodal 2D-self-assembled small molecular materials
with well-known hole transporting layers (HTLs), such as PEDOT:PSS
and PTAA, in PSCs with inverted configuration are described. The use
of these molecules, particularly the more rigid TTAI,
enhanced the charge extraction efficiency and reduced the charge recombination.
Consequently, an improved photovoltaic performance was achieved in
comparison to the devices fabricated with the standard HTLs.