Efficient planar perovskite solar cells using Schiff base complex as sensitizer for TiO2 and ZnO layers

Abstract

In the current work, our attention is focused on designing a Schiff base complex derived from ninhydrin and glycine ligand (NG) with Co (II) metal (Co-NG) as sensitizer for TiO2 and a ZnO electron transport layers, prepared by sol gel method. The two electrodes and complex are characterized by X-ray diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, a Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation is performed to achieve supplemental insights about the optoelectronic properties of Co-NG complex. As a result, the studied compound exhibits a high molar extinction coefficient equal to $27.5 \times 10^{3} \mathrm{M}^{-1}$ cm$^{-1}$. Moreover, to predict the possibility of introducing the modified electron transporting layers (ETLs) in PSC devices, the optical properties is tested and strong interactions between the dye and the ETLs are founded. Accordingly, a good efficiency enhancement to 18.94 % using TiO$_{2} /$Co-NG layer and 16.32 % using ZnO/Co-NG, respectively, is achieved.