Defect Engineering Strategies for High-Performance Tin-Based Perovskite Solar Cells: Interface Defect Analysis of Hole and Electron Transport Layers Using SCAPS-1D Simulation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjorae.2026.03SI.82Keywords:
Tin-based perovskite solar cells, SCAPS-1D, Interface defects, Defect engineering, Hole transport layer, CuSbS2, CuAlO2, Lead-free perovskitesAbstract
Tin-based perovskite solar cells (TPSCs) are emerging as attractive lead-free alternatives to conventional lead-based perovskite solar cells due to their low toxicity, good carrier mobility, small bandgap, and great optical absorption. However, the existence of bulk and interfacial imperfections severely limits the photovoltaic performance and long-term stability of TPSCs. Here, SCAPS-1D simulation was used to systematically design defects and study the densities of interfacial defects between the absorber layer and several hole transports layers (HTLs) such as CuI, CuAlO2, CuSbS2, MoS2, CuO and Cu2O. The photovoltaic properties of FTO/WS2/MASnI3/HTL/Au device designs were thoroughly studied under the influence of interface defect density in the range of 1012 to 1020 cm-3. In addition, the effects of the defect density of the absorber layer and the defects of the ETL/absorber interface were also studied. The results demonstrate that CuSbS2 and CuAlO2 have better defect tolerance with maximum power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 24.16% and 22.83%, respectively, while CuO and CuI show severe performance loss at high defect densities. The CuSbS2 and CuAlO2-based devices showed exceptional stability against changes in interface defects, implying enhanced interfacial charge extraction and lower non-radiative recombination losses. From the absorber defect analysis, it was shown that the increase in the bulk defect density has a severe impact on open circuit voltage, (Voc) fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) which is suppressed due to Shockley-Read-Hall recombination. The results emphasize the importance of interface engineering and the choice of suitable transport layers for enhancing the efficiency and stability of lead-free TPSCs.
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