Improved perovskite solar cell with 2H-TaS2 nanosheets as an electron transport layer using microwave irradiation

In addition to the absorber ingredient of the perovskite, electron- and hole-transport materials deposited on each side of a perovskite active layer can play essential roles in the stability and overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of a device. Herein, we developed and used a novel, stable, and efficient electron transport layer (ETL) as a Tantalum (IV) sulfide (2H-TaS2) nanosheets for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) which up to now not investigated in PSC. Synthesis of 2H-TaS2 transparent thin films was performed directly on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate, using microwave irradiation. The electrical characteristics of 2H-TaS2 thin film with state-of-the-art efficient electron transporting materials such as SnO2 and TiO2 are measured and compared. Device structure based on 2H-TaS2 in our work being: Glass/FTO/2H-TaS2/perovskite/P3HT/Gold, indicate power photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.23% which is close to the obtained PCEs of compact SnO2 and TiO2 electron transport layer based PSCs. The results showed, high electrical conductivity, the better property of charge transfer, and good transparency layer in the visible region (400-900 nm) with 2H-TaS2 thin film. So, theses reasons included a process of low-temperature synthesis, beneficial for energy harvesting and other optoelectronic applications for 2H-TaS2 thin film. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.