Comprehensive Insights into Charge Dynamics and Improved Photoelectric Properties of Well-Designed Solar Cells

Here, Zn2SnO4 nanorods/Cu4Bi4S9 (ZTO/CBS) and ZTO nanorods/CBS-graphene nanosheets (ZTO/CBS-GNs), as well as two types of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with high flexibility were fabricated on stainless steel meshes (SSMs). The excellent photovoltaic responses of CBS-GNs and ZTO/CBS-GNs with incorporation of GNs were determined using surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS). The signals of time-resolved fluorescence response (TFR) and transient surface photovoltage (TPV) can provide more detailed information for transition, separation, and transport of photoinduced carriers. Besides, the ZTO nanorods/CBS-GNs cell exhibits the superior performance and the highest efficiency is 11.2%. The multichannel separation process from the TPVs indicates that the macro-photoelectric signals can be attributed to the photogenerated charges separated at the interface of CBS/GNs, rather than CBS/ZTO. The multi-interfacial recombination is the major carrier loss with electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the hole selective NiO can efficiently accelerate the charge extraction to the external circuit. The comprehensive signals of SPS, EIS, TFR, and TPV provide insights into transition, separation, recombination and shifting of carriers. Importantly, the BHJ flexible solar cells with high efficiency and facile, scalable production present a potential for application.