25.24%-Efficiency FACsPbI₃ Perovskite Solar Cells Enabled by Intermolecular Esterification Reaction of DL-Carnitine Hydrochloride

Judicious tailoring of the interface between the SnO2 electron-transport layer and the perovskite buried surface plays a pivotal role in obtaining highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a DL-carnitine hydrochloride (DL) is incorporated into the perovskite/SnO2 interface to suppress the defect-states density. A DL-dimer is obtained at the interface by an intermolecular esterification reaction. For the SnO2 film, the Cl- in the DL-dimer can passivate oxygen vacancies (V-O) through electrostatic coupling, while the N in the DL-dimer can coordinate with the Sn4+ to passivate Sn-related defects. For the perovskite film, the DL-dimer can passivate FA(+) defects via hydrogen bonding and Pb-related defects more efficiently than the DL monomer. Upon DL-dimer modification, the interfacial defects are effectively passivated and the quality of the resultant perovskite film is improved. As a result, the DL-treated device achieves a gratifying open-circuit voltage (V-OC) of 1.20 V and a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.24%, which is a record value among all the reported FACsPbI(3) PSCs to date. In addition, the unencapsulated devices exhibit a charming stability, sustaining 99.20% and 90.00% of their initial PCEs after aging in air for 1200 h and continuously operating at the maximum power point tracking for 500 h, respectively.