Benzothieno[3,2-b]thiophene-Based Noncovalent Conformational Lock Achieves Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency over 24 %

Organic semiconductors with noncovalently conformational locks (OSNCs) are promising building blocks for hole-transporting materials (HTMs). However, lack of satisfied neighboring building blocks negatively impacts the optoelectronic properties of OSNCs-based HTMs and imperils the stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To address this limitation, we introduce the benzothieno[3,2-b]thiophene (BTT) to construct a new OSNC, and the resulting HTM ZS13 shows improved intermolecular charge extraction/transport properties, proper energy level, efficient surface passivation effect. Consequently, the champion devices based on doped ZS13 yield an efficiency of 24.39 % and 20.95 % for aperture areas of 0.1 and 1.01 cm2, respectively. Furthermore, ZS13 shows good thermal stability and the capability of inhibiting I- ion migration, thus, leading to enhanced device stability. The success in neighboring-group engineering can triggered a strong interest in developing thienoacene-based OSNCs toward efficient and stable PSCs. This work developed benzothieno[3,2-b]thiophene-based noncovalently conformational locks for organic HTMs ZS13, which shows good charge transfer properties, thermal stability and passivation function. Perovskite solar cells using ZS13 as doped HTM yield a champion device efficiency of 24.39 % with good thermal and light stability.+image