Solar cells made from crystalline silicon (c-Si) are facing some tough problems. The main issue is with the hole transport layer (HTL). The usual molybdenum oxide (MoO

x

) contacts have problems with oxidation at the interface and aren't great at blocking electrons. This is where self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) come in. They've shown promise in organic solar cells, but no one has tried using them in silicon-based HTLs until now.

Researchers have come up with a new organic SAM called 2PACz. This clever molecule has phosphonic acid (PA) groups that form strong bonds with MoO

x

. The goal is to boost solar cell performance through both chemical and field-effect passivation. When 2PACz is added, it raises the work function of MoO

x

 by 0. 66 electron volts (eV). This means the minority carrier lifetime improves, which in turn increases the built-in potential (V

bi

) to 1. 06 volts (V). These changes lead to better open-circuit voltage (V

oc

) and short-circuit current (J

sc

).

The solar cell with the 2PACz/MoO

x

-Au NPs-MoO

x

 (MAM) stack shows impressive results. It achieves a V

oc

 of 753. 3 millivolts (mV), a J

sc

 of 40. 10 milliamperes per square centimeter (mA cm

-

2

), a fill factor (FF) of 79. 12%, and a conversion efficiency (E

ff

) of 23. 90%. The use of 2PACz in the HTL clearly boosts solar cell performance. This opens up a new way to improve interfaces in c-Si solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.

The key to this improvement is the strong bond formed by the phosphonic acid groups in 2PACz with MoO

x

. This bond helps in reducing interface oxidation and improves electron blocking. The result is a more efficient solar cell. This research shows that small changes in the HTL can have big impacts on solar cell performance. It's a reminder that innovation often comes from looking at problems from new angles.

The MAM stack is a great example of how combining different materials can lead to better results. The use of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in the stack also plays a role in improving performance. This highlights the importance of material science in advancing technology. As solar energy becomes more important, finding ways to make solar cells more efficient is crucial. This research is a step in the right direction.

Boosting Solar Cells with a Clever Chemical Trick

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