Energy Level Alignment of Molybdenum Oxide on Colloidal Lead Sulfide (PbS) Thin Films for Optoelectronic Devices

Interfacial charge transport in optoelectronic devices is dependent on energetic alignment that occurs via a number of physical and chemical mechanisms. Herein, we directly connect device performance with measured thickness-dependent energy-level offsets and interfacial chemistry of 1,2-ethanedithiol-treated lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots and molybdenum oxide. We show that interfacial energetic alignment results from partial charge transfer, quantified via the chemical ratios of Mo⁵⁺ relative to Mo⁶⁺. The combined effect mitigates leakage current in both the dark and the light, relative to a metal contact, with an overall improvement in open circuit voltage, fill factor, and short circuit current.