A solution-processable small-organic molecules containing carbazole or phenoxazine structure as hole-transport materials for perovskite solar cells

Abstract

Three low molecular weight compounds bearing carbazole units (1,6-di{3-[2-(4-methylphenyl)vinyl]carbazol-9-yl}hexane and 9,9'-di{6-[3-(2-(4-methylphenyl)vinyl)-9-carbazol-9-yl]hexyl}-[3,3']bicarbazole) and phenoxazine structure (10-butyl-3,7-diphenylphenoxazine) were tested as hole-transporting materials in perovskite solar cells. Two of them were successfully applied as hole transporting layers in electroluminescent light emitted diodes. The examined compounds were high-thermally stable with decomposition temperature found at the range of 280–419 °C. Additionally, DSC measurement revealed that they can be converted into amorphous materials. The compounds possess adequate ionization potentials, to perovskite energy levels, being in the range of 5.15–5.36  eV. The significant increase in power conversion efficiency from 1.60% in the case of a device without hole-transporting layer, to 5.31% for device with 1,6-di{3-[2-(4-methylphenyl)vinyl]carbazol-9- yl}hexane was observed.