Three low-cost propeller-shaped small molecules based on a triphenylamine core and the high-performance donor molecule 7,7′-[4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-silolo[3,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl]bis[6-fluoro-4-(5′-hexyl-[2,2′-bithiophen]-5-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole] (DTS(FBTTh2)2) were investigated as hole-transporting materials in perovskite solar cells. Each hole-transporting material was designed with highly modular side arms, allowing for different bandgaps and thin-film properties while maintaining a consistent binding energy of the highest occupied molecular orbitals to facilitate hole extraction from the perovskite active layer. Perovskite solar cell devices were fabricated with each of the three triphenylamine-based hole-transporting materials and DTS(FBTTh2)2 and were compared to devices with 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) hole-transporting layers. Each of our triphenylamine hole-transporting materials and DTS(FBTTh2)2 displayed surface morphologies that were considerably rougher than that of spiro-OMeTAD; a factor that may contribute to lower device performance. It was found that using inert, insulating polymers as additives with DTS(FBTTh2)2 reduced the surface roughness, resulting in devices with higher photocurrents.
Low-Cost, High-Performance Organic Small Molecular Hole-Transporting Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells