In the present investigation, ZnO films co-doped with Mn and La were synthesized by the sol–gel technique. XRD analysis revealed that ZnO had a hexagonal structure. Mixed hexagonal and cubic phases appeared in ZnO containing Mn (1%) and La (1.5%). The grain size, d-spacing, unit cell, lattice parameters, atomic packing fraction, volume, strain, crystallinity, and bond length of co-doped ZnO films were determined as a function of doped ion contents. Through UV analysis, it was found that pristine ZnO had E_g = 3.5 eV, and it decreased when increasing the doping concentration, reaching the minimum value for the sample with 1% Mn and 1% La. The optical parameters of the films, such as absorption, transmittance, dielectric constants, and refractive index, were also analyzed. DSSCs were fabricated using the prepared ZnO films. For pure ZnO film, the values were: efficiency = 0.69%, current density = 2.5 mAcm⁻², and open-circuit voltage = 0.56 V. When ZnO was co-doped with Mn and La, the efficiency increased significantly. DSSCs with a ZnO photoanode co-doped with 1% Mn and 1% La exhibited maximum values of J_sc = 4.28 mAcm⁻², V_oc = 0.6 V, and efficiency = 1.89%, which is 174% better than pristine ZnO-based DSSCs. This material is good for the electrode of perovskite solar cells.

A competitive new technology, organic metallic halide perovskite solar cells feature a wide working area, low manufacturing costs, a long lifespan, and a significant amount of large efficacy of power conversion (PCE). The spin-coating technique was utilized for the fabrication of pure CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ (MAPbBr₃) thin films, and these films are implanted with 600 keV silver (Ag) ions at fluency rate of 6 × 10¹⁴ and 4 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm². XRD analysis confirmed the cubic structure of MAPbBr₃. A high grain size was observed at the fluency rate of 4 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm². The UV-Vis spectroscopic technique was used to calculate the optical properties such as the bandgap energy (E_g), refractive index (n), extinction coefficients (k), and dielectric constant. A direct E_g of 2.44 eV was measured for the pristine film sample, whereas 2.32 and 2.36 eV were measured for Ag ion-implanted films with a 4 × 10¹⁴ and 6 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² fluence rate, respectively. The solar cells of these films were fabricated. The J_sc was 6.69 mA/cm², FF was 0.80, V_oc was 1.1 V, and the efficiency was 5.87% for the pristine MAPbBr₃-based cell. All of these parameters were improved by Ag ion implantation. The maximum values were observed at a fluency rate of 4 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm², where the V_oc was 1.13 V, FF was 0.75, J_sc was 8.18 mA/cm², and the efficiency was 7.01%.

We prepared 1% Bi- and (0, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5%) Sb- co-doped MAPbBr3 films by a sol-gel spin coating technique. For the first time, the detailed structural properties including grain size, dislocation line density, d-spacing, lattice parameters, and volume of co-doped MAPbBr₃ films have been investigated. XRD confirmed the cubic structure of MAPbBr₃ with high crystallinity and co-doping of Bi and Sb. The 1% Bi and 1% Sb co-doping have a surprising effect in MAPbBr₃ structures, such as large grain size (59.5 nm), d-space value (6.23 Å), small dislocation line dislocation (2.79 × 1018 m⁻²), and small lattice parameters (a = b = c = 6.3 Å) and volume of unit cell. The detailed optical properties, including energy band gap (Eg), refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k) and dielectric constant (Ɛ), which are very important for optoelectronics applications, were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The film of 1% Bi and 1% Sb co-doped MAPbBr₃ showed good optical response including small Eg, high n, low value of k, high real and low imaginary parts of dielectric constant, making it good for solar cell applications. Solar cells were fabricated from these films. The cell fabricated with pure MAPbBr₃ has Jsc of 8.72 mA cm⁻², FF of 0.66, Voc of 1.29 V, and η of 7.5%. All the parameters increased by co-doping of Bi and Sb in MAPbBr₃ film. The cell fabricated with 1% Bi and 1% Sb co-doped MAPbBr3 film had high current density (12.12 mA-cm⁻²), open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (0.73), and high efficiency (11.6%). This efficiency was 65% larger than a pure MAPbBr3-based solar cell.

One of the most amazing photovoltaic technologies for the future is the organic–inorganic lead halide perovskite solar cell, which exhibits excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) and can be produced using a straightforward solution technique. Toxic lead in perovskite can be replaced by non-toxic alkaline earth metal cations because they keep the charge balance in the material and some of them match the Goldschmidt rule’s tolerance factor. Therefore, thin films of MAPbI₃, 1% Bi and 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% Sn co-doped MAPbI₃ were deposited on FTO-glass substrates by sol-gel spin-coating technique. XRD confirmed the co-doping of Bi–Sn in MAPbI₃. The 1% Bi and 1% Sn co-doped film had a large grain size. The optical properties were calculated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The 1% Bi and 1% Sn co-doped film had small E_g, which make it a good material for perovskite solar cells. These films were made into perovskite solar cells. The pure MAPbI₃ film-based solar cell had a current density (J_sc) of 9.71 MA-cm⁻², its open-circuit voltage (V_oc) was 1.18 V, its fill factor (FF) was 0.609 and its efficiency (η) was 6.98%. All of these parameters were improved by the co-doping of Bi–Sn. The cell made from a co-doped MAPbI₃ film with 1% Bi and 1% Sn had a high efficiency (10.03%).

Materials retracts the article, “Bi and Sn Doping Improved the Structural, Optical and Photovoltaic Properties of MAPbI3-Based Perovskite Solar Cells”

Materials retracts the article “The Effect of 600 keV Ag Ion Irradiation on the Structural, Op-tical, and Photovoltaic Properties of MAPbBr₃ Films for Perovksite Solar Cell Applications”