Numerical analysis of a hysteresis model in perovskite solar cells

TL;DR

This paper presents a numerical model incorporating capacitive and polarization charges to explain and reproduce the hysteresis and performance in perovskite solar cells, highlighting the role of charge screening effects.

Contribution

The study introduces a numerical model that accounts for capacitive and polarization charges, providing a quantitative explanation for hysteresis in perovskite solar cells.

Findings

Charge screening improves charge transport and performance.

The model reproduces experimental hysteresis curves.

Polarization and ion relaxations contribute to hysteresis.

Abstract

Previously, we proposed that the polarization and capacitive charge in \ce{CH3NH3PbI3} screens the external electric field that hinders charge transport. We argue here that this screening effect is in significant part responsible for the power conversion characteristics and hysteresis in \ce{CH3NH3PbI3} photovoltaic cells. In this paper, we implement capacitive charge and polarization charge into the numerical model that we have developed for perovskite solar cells. Fields induced by these two charges screen the applied hindering field, promote charge transport, and improve solar cell's performance, especially in solar cells with short diffusion lengths. This is the reason why perovskite solar cells made from simple fabrication methods can achieve high performance. More importantly, with relaxations of capacitive charge and polarization charge, we quantitatively reproduce experimental "anomalous" hysteresis J-V curves. This reveals that both polarization relaxation and ions relaxation could contribute to anomalous hysteresis in perovskite solar cells.