Assessing the suitability of copper thiocyanate as a hole-transport layer in inverted CsSnI(3) perovskite photovoltaics

We report the findings of a study into the suitability of copper (I) thiocyanate (CuSCN) as a hole-transport layer in inverted photovoltaic (PV) devices based on the black gamma phase (B-γ) of CsSnI(3) perovskite. Remarkably, when B-γ-CsSnI(3) perovskite is deposited from a dimethylformamide solution onto a 180–190 nm thick CuSCN film supported on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrode, the CuSCN layer is completely displaced leaving a perovskite layer with high uniformity and coverage of the underlying ITO electrode. This finding is confirmed by detailed analysis of the thickness and composition of the film that remains after perovskite deposition, together with photovoltaic device studies. The results of this study show that, whilst CuSCN has proved to be an excellent hole-extraction layer for high performance lead-perovskite and organic photovoltaics, it is unsuitable as a hole-transport layer in inverted B-γ-CsSnI(3) perovskite photovoltaics processed from solution.