Enhancing Photovoltaic Performance of Bi-Doped Perovskite Solar Cells with Novel Double Electron Transport Layer: Achieving High Open-Circuit Voltage and Efficiency

Enhancing Photovoltaic Performance of Bi-Doped Perovskite Solar Cells with Novel Double Electron Transport Layer: Achieving High Open-Circuit Voltage and Efficiency | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Enhancing Photovoltaic Performance of Bi-Doped Perovskite Solar Cells with Novel Double Electron Transport Layer: Achieving High Open-Circuit Voltage and Efficiency Muhammad Iftihkar Khan, Saddam Hussain, Ghulam M. Mustafa, Mongi Amami, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4498642/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Aug, 2025 Read the published version in Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Perovskite solar cells using pristine and 6% Bi-doped MAPbI 2 Br perovskite layers are deposited using a spin coating route. XRD analysis reveals that the structure of MAPbI 2 Br is cubic and the grown films are integrating large grains with low micro-strain. UV-visible spectra of the MAPbI 2 Br perovskite solar cell and the 6% Bi-doped MAPbI 2 Br perovskite solar cell show a narrower bandgap (E g ) and higher refractive index. The characteristics of the ETL directly affect the photovoltaic performance of Bi-MAPbI 2 Br perovskite material. The present report aims to propose a new double electron transport layer composed of TiO 2 and Al-SnO 2 for MAPbI 2 Br-based PSCs. In the experimental approach, we reached a high open circuit voltage value of 1.07V, while achieving remarkable power conversion efficiencies of 10.39 %. Notably, this is consistent with the highest V oc achieved so far for Bi-MAPbI 2 Br-based PSCs with an inorganic electron transport layer (Al-SnO 2 ). The results from this study underscore the importance of the conduction band alignment of MAPbI 2 Br with the conduction band of Al-SnO 2 to enhance electron flow and minimize recombination. This alignment leads to increased V oc and total PCE for PSCs. Bi doping Perovskite solar cell Double electron transport layer Bandgap alignment Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Aug, 2025 Read the published version in Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 24 Nov, 2024 Reviews received at journal 19 Nov, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Nov, 2024 Reviews received at journal 12 Jun, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 Jun, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 02 Jun, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 31 May, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 30 May, 2024 First submitted to journal 29 May, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4498642","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":312963778,"identity":"e18c1449-001b-43f8-9060-ad61abd5ba76","order_by":0,"name":"Muhammad Iftihkar Khan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The University of Lahore","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Muhammad","middleName":"Iftihkar","lastName":"Khan","suffix":""},{"id":312963779,"identity":"ca34ca72-cf71-43eb-93ff-1a2841d5f48d","order_by":1,"name":"Saddam Hussain","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA90lEQVRIie2QsWoCQRCGZ1m4ai62BsV7hZGDC3IYn0UOTGN6wUAWhLsmjyDxFa6yXjOgjQ+gXKO9XSBYWOQWtcuGs7PYrxiGgY9/ZgAcjrsEr1XsNIzOs3pFRZKG9Q0KGAVEWkEJlL98PJ6em08gxdf2k4NAyUWBMO8ri0L6YdDw0wQ7SgK/zrmday+JEYrQlkKAUUMoiaRr2igiN5NSadkXw6hc7L1UTMqUezNV+zEK2hTQGNXR44uiuK80ev+mEGMY++kKiUtluHxJcvbCzpTstwTZR3t7PI17tJrI7+Fb3J1lk/3mMCqsHwP5d0PWSxwOh8NRgV9cr01gTMEN4AAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Saddam","middleName":"","lastName":"Hussain","suffix":""},{"id":312963782,"identity":"60e67fe3-895f-4fda-963d-50e5192f9dbb","order_by":2,"name":"Ghulam M. 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XRD analysis reveals that the structure of MAPbI\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eBr is cubic and the grown films are integrating large grains with low micro-strain. UV-visible spectra of the MAPbI\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eBr perovskite solar cell and the 6% Bi-doped MAPbI\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eBr perovskite solar cell show a narrower bandgap (E\u003csub\u003eg\u003c/sub\u003e) and higher refractive index. The characteristics of the ETL directly affect the photovoltaic performance of Bi-MAPbI\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eBr perovskite material. The present report aims to propose a new double electron transport layer composed of TiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and Al-SnO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e for MAPbI\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eBr-based PSCs. In the experimental approach, we reached a high open circuit voltage value of 1.07V, while achieving remarkable power conversion efficiencies of 10.39 %. \u0026nbsp;Notably, this is consistent with the highest V\u003csub\u003eoc \u003c/sub\u003eachieved so far for Bi-MAPbI\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eBr-based PSCs with an inorganic electron transport layer (Al-SnO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e). The results from this study underscore the importance of the conduction band alignment of MAPbI\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eBr with the conduction band of Al-SnO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e to enhance electron flow and minimize recombination. 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