Perovskite photovoltaics featuring solution-processable TiO2 as an interfacial electron-transporting layer display to improve performance and stability

Enhanced Performance and Stability of TiO2 -Nanoparticles-Based Perovskite Solar Cells Employing a Cheap Polymeric Surface Modifier

Interface engineering of TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs)-based perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) is often necessary to facilitate the extraction and transport of charge carriers. In this work, poly[{9,9-bis[3'-(N,N-dimethyl)propyl]-2,7-fluorene}-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)] (PFN) and polystyrene (PS) are demonstrated to be effective surface modifiers of the TiO₂ NPs electron-transporting layer in n-i-p PVSCs. The low-cost insulating polymer PS performs better than the PFN conjugated polymer owing to its high film quality, low surface energy and insulating characteristics. A peak power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.09 % with an open-circuit voltage (V_OC ) of 1.05 V and a PCE of 17.13 % with an ultrahigh V_OC of 1.18 V is achieved with TiO₂ NPs/PS-based PVSCs using poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and spiro-OMeTAD, respectively, as the hole-transporting material.

Influence of Radiation on the Properties and the Stability of Hybrid Perovskites

Organic-inorganic perovskites are well suited for optoelectronic applications. In particular, perovskite single and perovskite tandem solar cells with silicon are close to their market entry. Despite their swift rise in efficiency to more than 21%, solar cell lifetimes are way below the needed 25 years. In fact, comparison of the time when the device performance has degraded to 80% of its initial value (T₈₀ lifetime) of numerous solar cells throughout the literature reveals a strongly reduced stability under illumination. Herein, the various detrimental effects are discussed. Most notably, moisture- and heat-related degradation can be mitigated easily by now. Recently, however, several photoinduced degradation mechanisms have been observed. Under illumination, mixed perovskites tend to phase segregate, while, further, oxygen catalyzes deprotonation of the organic cations. Additionally, during illumination photogenerated charge can be trapped in the NH antibonding orbitals causing dissociation of the organic cation. On the other hand, organic-inorganic perovskites exhibit a high radiation hardness that is superior to crystalline silicon. Here, the proposed degradation mechanisms reported in the literature are thoroughly reviewed and the microscopic mechanisms and their implications for solar cells are discussed.

Morphology Engineering: A Route to Highly Reproducible and High Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells

Despite the rapid increase in the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSC), they still suffer from low lab-to-lab or people-to-people reproducibility. Aiming for a universal condition to high-performance devices, we investigated the morphology evolution of a composite perovskite by tuning annealing temperature and precursor concentration of the perovskite film. Here, we introduce thermal annealing as a powerful tool to generate a well-controlled excess of PbI₂ in the perovskite formulation and show that this benefits the photovoltaic performance. We demonstrated the correlation between the film microstructure and electronic property and device performance. An optimized average grain size/thickness aspect ratio of the perovskite crystallite is identified, which brings about a highly reproducible power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.5 %, with a certified value of 19.08 %. Negligible hysteresis and outstanding morphology stability are observed with these devices. These findings lay the foundation for further boosting the PCE of PSC and can be very instructive for fabrication of high-quality perovskite films for a variety of applications, such as light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors, and photodetectors.

Recent progress and challenges of organometal halide perovskite solar cells

We review recent progress in the development of organometal halide perovskite solar cells. We discuss different compounds used to construct perovskite photoactive layers, as well as the optoelectronic properties of this system. The factors that affect the morphology of the perovskite active layer are explored, e.g. material composition, film deposition methods, casting solvent and various post-treatments. Different strategies are reviewed that have recently emerged to prepare high performing perovskite films, creating polycrystalline films having either large or small grain size. Devices that are constructed using meso-superstructured and planar architectures are summarized and the impact of the fabrication process on operational efficiency is discussed. Finally, important research challenges (hysteresis, thermal and moisture instability, mechanical flexibility, as well as the development of lead-free materials) in the development of perovskite solar cells are outlined and their potential solutions are discussed.

Advancements in the stability of perovskite solar cells: degradation mechanisms and improvement approaches

Recently, organic metal halide perovskites have emerged as one of the most promising photoactive materials in the field of photovoltaics.

Efficiency enhancement of planar perovskite solar cells by adding zwitterion/LiF double interlayers for electron collection

Double interlayers consisting of a zwitterionic small molecule layer and a LiF layer were introduced between the electron transport layer and the cathode of perovskite solar cells. The double interlayers improve the photovoltaic efficiency to 13.2%, which is higher than that of control devices without the double interlayer (9.2%) or with LiF (11.0%) or rhodamine 101 zwitterion (12.1%) alone.