Ambient Blade‑Coating of Perovskite Absorber Layer: Optimizing Deposition Parameters and Surfactant Concentration

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Physics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran Nanoparticles and Coatings Lab, Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Solaires Enterprises Inc, Victoria, BC, V9B 4G2, Canada

4 Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Physics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

5 Nanoparticles and Coatings Lab, Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Blade coating is a scalable deposition technique suitable for the large-area fabrication of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), offering a promising alternative to conventional spin coating. In this study, blade coating parameters for depositing mixed triple cation–anion perovskite absorber layers were systematically optimized in planar PSCs with the structure Glass/ In-doped tin oxide (ITO) /SnO₂/perovskite/CuInS₂/carbon. Key processing parameters—including blade–substrate gap, coating speed, ink injection volume, and precursor concentration—were investigated to obtain uniform and high quality perovskite films. Optimal conditions were achieved at a blade–substrate gap of 0.1 mm, a coating speed of 200 mm min⁻¹, and a 1.5 M precursor solution delivered with 2 µL of ink, yielding compact and uniform films. The effect of the nonionic surfactant Triton X 100 (TX 100) was further explored to enhance ink wettability and film formation. Low concentrations of TX 100 improved surface coverage and produced denser films, while higher concentrations resulted in smaller grain sizes, increased surface roughness, and reduced film thickness. Optical characterization showed an increase in film transmittance with increasing TX 100 concentration, and photoluminescence measurements indicated enhanced emission at moderate concentrations due to defect passivation at grain boundaries. Photovoltaic measurements revealed that devices fabricated with 2 mM TX 100 delivered the best performance, achieving a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.76% and an average PCE of 13.83%. At higher TX 100 concentrations, device performance degraded significantly due to poor morphology and reduced charge transport.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Ultrafine Grained and Nanostructured Materials
Volume 59, Issue 1
June 2026
Pages 49-64

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 May 2026
  • Revise Date: 19 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 20 June 2026

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