Improved air stability of PbS-sensitized solar cell by incorporating ethanedithiol during spin-assisted successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction

We fabricated all solid-state PbS-sensitized solar cells by the repeated step-by-step spin-coating of Pb(NO3)2, Na2S, and ethanedithiol (EDT) solution on mesoporous TiO2 (mp-TiO2) films. Incorporating EDT molecules into the PbS nanoparticles during the spin-assisted successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) process greatly improved the stability of the device in air and its efficiency owing to the improved charge injection and surface passivation because the EDT molecules prevent the overgrowth and oxidation of the PbS nanoparticles during the layer-by-layer coating of the EDT molecules.

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► We fabricate all solid-state PbS-SSCs by the spin-assisted SILAR process.
► We examine the stability of cells with a Pb precursor, S precursor, and an EDT solution.
► EDT molecules are more efficiently bound to the PbS nanoparticles.
► These approaches will be useful for producing low-cost photovoltaic devices.