Surface Passivation Toward Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Although metal halide perovskites are increasingly popular for the next generation of efficient photovoltaic devices,the inevitable defects from the preparation process have become the notorious barrier to further improvement of performance,which increases non-radiative recombination and lowers the power conversion efficiency of solar cells.Surface passivation strategies have been affirmed as one of the most practical approaches to suppress these defects.Therefore,it is necessary to have a detailed review on the surface passivation to reveal the improvements of the devices.Herein,the mechanism and recent advances of surface passivation have been systematically summarized with respect to various passivation approaches,including the Lewis acid–base,the low-dimensional perovskite,inorganic molecules,and polymers.Finally,the review also offers the research trend and prospects of surface passivation.

Reducing surficial and interfacial defects by thiocyanate ionic liquid additive and ammonium formate passivator for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells

Organic–inorganic metal halide perovskites have attained extensive attention owing to their outstanding photovoltaic performances,but the existence of numerous defects in crystalline perovskites is still a serious constraint for the further development of perovskite solar cells(PSCs).In particular,the rapid crystallization guided by anti-solvents leads to plenty of surficial and interfacial defects in perovskite films.Herein,we report the adoption of a pseudo-halide anion based ionic liquid additive,1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate(BMIMSCN)for growing ternary cation(CsFAMA,where FA=formamidinium and MA=methylammonium)perovskites with large-scale crystal grains and strong preferential orientation via the enhanced Ostwald ripening.Meanwhile,a novel halide-free passivator,benzylammonium formate(BAFa),was employed as a buffering layer on the perovskite films to suppress surface-dominated charge recombination.As a result,the cooperative effects of BMIMSCN additive and BAFa passivator lead to significant enhancements on fluorescence lifetime(from 79.41 to 201.01 ns),open-circuit voltage(from 1.13 to 1.19 V),photoelectric conversion efficiency(from 18.90%to 22.33%).Moreover,the BMIMSCN/BAFa-CsFAMA PSCs demonstrated greatly improved stability against moisture and heat.This work suggests a promising strategy to improve the quality of perovskite materials via reducing the surficial and interfacial defects by the synergistic effects of lattice doping and interface engineering.

Thermally Evaporated ZnSe for Efficient and Stable Regular/Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells by Enhanced Electron Extraction

Electron transport layers(ETLs)are crucial for achieving efficient and stable planar perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Reports on versatile inorganic ETLs using a simple film fabrication method and applicability for both low-cost planar regular and inverted PSCs with excellent efficiencies(>22%)and high stability are very limited.Herein,we employ a novel inorganic ZnSe as ETL for both regular and inverted PSCs to improve the efficiency and stability using a simple thermal evaporation method.The TiO_(2)-ZnSe-FAPbl_(3)heterojunction could be formed,resulting in an improved charge collection and a decreased carrier recombination further proved through theoretical calculations.The optimized regular PSCs based on TiO_(2)/ZnSe have achieved 23.25%efficiency with negligible hysteresis.In addition,the ZnSe ETL can also effectively replace the unstable bathocuproine(BCP)in inverted PSCs.Consequently,the ZnSe-based inverted device realizes a champion efficiency of 22.54%.Moreover,the regular device comprising the TiO_(2)/ZnSe layers retains 92%of its initial PCE after 10:00 h under 1 Sun continuous illumination and the inverted device comprising the C_(60)/ZnSe layers maintains over 85%of its initial PCE at 85℃for 10:00 h.This highlights one of the best results among universal ETLs in both regular and inverted perovskite photovoltaics.

Recent Progresses on Dopant-Free Organic Hole Transport Materials toward Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

As the third generation new battery,the power conversion efficiency(PCE)of metal halide perovskite solar cells(PsCs)has increased from 3.8%in 2009 to 25.8%currently certified,which fully shows that they have great research value and development prospect.As one of the main components of high-efficiency PSCs,hole transport materials(HTMs)play an important role in extracting and transporting holes and inhibiting charge recombination.However,commonly used HTMs require doping,and the hygroscopicity and corrosiveness of the dopants will destroy the stability of PsCs and hinder their commercialization.Therefore,it is of great significance to develop dopant-free HTMs.

A short overview of the lead iodide residue impact and regulation strategies in perovskite solar cells

Lead iodide(PbI2) is a vital raw material for preparing perovskite solar cells(PSCs),and it not only takes part in forming the light absorption layer but also remains in the grain boundary as a passivator.In other words,the PbI2 content in the precursor and as formed film will affect the efficiency and stability of the PSCs.With moderate residual PbI2,it passivates the bulk/surface defects of perovskite,reduces the interfacial recombination,promotes the perovskite stability,minimizes the device hysteresis,and so on.Deficient PbI2 residue will reduce the interfacial passivation effect and device performance.In addition to facilitating the non-radiative recombination,over PbI2 residue can also lead to electronic insulation in the grain boundary and deteriorate the device performance.However,the impact and regulation of PbI2 residue on the device performance and stability is still not fully understood.Herein,a comprehensive and detailed review is presented by discussing the PbI2 residue impact and its regulation strategies(i.e., elimination,facilitation and conversion of the residue PbI2) to manipulate the PbI2 content,distribution and forms.Finally,we also show future outlooks in this field,with an aim to help further the progression of high-efficiency and stable PSCs.

Multifunctional interfacial molecular bridge enabled by an aggregation-induced emission strategy for enhancing efficiency and UV stability of perovskite solar cells

The interface defects between the electron transport layer(ETL)and the perovskite layer,as well as the low ultraviolet(UV)light utilization rate of the perovskite absorption layer,pose significant challenges for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells(PSCs).To address this issue,this paper proposes an innovative multifunctional interface modulation strategy by introducing aggregation-induced emission(AIE)molecule 5-[4-[1,2,2-tri[4-(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)phenyl]ethylene]phenyl]benzene-1,3-dicarboxylic acid(H_(8)ETTB)at the SnO_(2)ETL/perovskite interface.Firstly,the interaction of H_(8)ETTB with the SnO_(2)surface,facilitated by its carboxyl groups,is effective in passivating surface defects caused by noncoord inated Sn and O vacancies.This interaction enhances the conductivity of the SnO_(2)film and adjusts energy levels,leading to enhanced charge carrier transport.Simultaneously,H_(8)ETTB can passivate noncoord inated Pb^(2+)ions at the perovskite interface,promoting perovskite crystallization and reducing the interface energy barrier,resulting in a perovskite film with low defects and high crystalline quality.More importantly,the H_(8)ETTB molecule,can convert UV light into light absorbable by the perovskite,thereby reducing damage caused by UV light and improving the device's utilization of UV.Consequently,the champion PSC based on SnO_(2)-H_(8)ETTB achieves an impressing efficiency of 23.32%and significantly improved photostability compared with the control device after continuous exposure to intense UV radiation.In addition,the Cs_(0.05)(FA_(0.95)MA_(0.05))_(0.95)Pb(I_(0.95)Br_(0.05))_(3)based device can achieve maximum efficiency of 24.01%,demonstrating the effectiveness and universality of this strategy.Overall,this innovative interface bridging strategy effectively tackles interface defects and low UV light utilization in PSCs,presenting a promising approach for achieving highly efficient and stable PSCs.

Enhancing the crystallinity and stability of perovskite solar cells with 4-tert-butylpyridine induction for efficiency exceeding 24%

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have emerged as a promising photovoltaic technology because of their high light absorption coefficient,long carrier diffusion distance,and tunable bandgap.However,PSCs face challenges such as hysteresis effects and stability issues.In this study,we introduced a novel approach to improve film crystallization by leveraging 4-tert-butylpyridine(TBP)molecules,thereby enhancing the performance and stability of PSCs.Our findings demonstrate the effective removal of PbI_(2)from the perovskite surface through strong coordination with TBP molecules.Additionally,by carefully adjusting the concentration of the TBP solution,we achieved enhanced film crystallinity without disrupting the perovskite structure.The TBP-treated perovskite films exhibit a low defect density,improved crystallinity,and improved carrier lifetime.As a result,the PSCs manufactured with TBP treatment achieve power conversion efficiency(PCE)exceeding 24%.Moreover,we obtained the PCE of 21.39%for the 12.25 cm^(2)module.

Improved efficiency and stability of inverse perovskite solar cells via passivation cleaning

Amidst the global energy and environmental crisis,the quest for efficient solar energy utilization intensifies.Perovskite solar cells,with efficiencies over 26%and cost-effective production,are at the forefront of research.Yet,their stability remains a barrier to industrial application.This study introduces innovative strategies to enhance the stability of inverted perovskite solar cells.By bulk and surface passivation,defect density is reduced,followed by a"passivation cleaning"using Apacl amino acid salt and isopropyl alcohol to refine film surface quality.Employing X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscope(SEM),and atomic force microscopy(AFM),we confirmed that this process effectively neutralizes surface defects and curbs non-radiative recombination,achieving 22.6%efficiency for perovskite solar cells with the composition Cs_(0.15)FA_(0.85)PbI_(3).Crucially,the stability of treated cells in long-term tests has been markedly enhanced,laying groundwork for industrial viability.

Seed-assisted growth for high-performance perovskite solar cells:A review

The rapid increase in the power conversion efficiency(PCE)of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)is closely related to the development of deposition techinique for perovskite layer.The high-quality perovskite film enables efficient charge transportation and less trap states,which are eventually translated into enhanced device performance.Seed-assisted growth(SAG)is a potential technique for depositing highly-crystallized perovskite films with preferential crystal orientation among the numerous approaches related to crystallization modulation.In this review,we summarize the recent advances in the SAG technique for both one-step and two-step processed perovskite films.Additionally,seeding at the buried interface and on the top surface are also introduced.We present different seeds and their corresponding seeding mechanism in detail,such as inorganic nanomaterials,organic ammoniums,alkali metal halides,and perovskite seeds.Finally,challenges and perspectives are proposed to investigate the potential expansion of seeding engineering in high-performance PSCs,particularly large-area devices.

Recent Advances in Wide-Bandgap Organic-Inorganic Halide Perovskite Solar Cells and Tandem Application

Perovskite-based tandem solar cells have attracted increasing interest because of its great potential to surpass the Shockley-Queisser limit set for single-junction solar cells.In the tandem architectures,the wide-bandgap(WBG)perovskites act as the front absorber to offer higher open-circuit voltage(VOC)for reduced thermalization losses.Taking advantage of tunable bandgap of the perovskite materials,the WBG perovskites can be easily obtained by substituting halide iodine with bromine,and substituting organic ions FA and MA with Cs.To date,the most concerned issues for the WBG perovskite solar cells(PSCs)are huge VOC deficit and severe photo-induced phase separation.Reducing VOC loss and improving photostability of the WBG PSCs are crucial for further efficiency breakthrough.Recently,scientists have made great efforts to overcome these key issues with tremendous progresses.In this review,we first summarize the recent progress of WBG perovskites from the aspects of compositions,additives,charge transport layers,interfaces and preparation methods.The key factors affecting efficiency and stability are then carefully discussed,which would provide decent guidance to develop highly efficient and stable WBG PSCs for tandem application.

Beyond two-dimension: One-and zero-dimensional halide perovskites as new-generation passivators for high-performance perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs) as a rising star in the photovoltaic field have received rapidly increasing attention recently due to the boosting power conversion efficiencies(PCEs) from 3.8% to 25.7% in the last13 years. Nevertheless, the conventional PSCs with three-dimensional(3D) halide perovskites as light absorbers suffer from inferior PCEs and poor durability under sunlight, high-temperature and humid conditions due to the high defect amount and structural instability of 3D perovskites, respectively. To tackle these crucial issues, lower-dimensional halide perovskites including zero-dimensional(0D), onedimensional(1D), and two-dimensional(2D) perovskites have been employed as efficient passivators to boost the PCEs and durability of 3D-PSCs due to the high structural stability and superior resistance against moisture, heat and sunlight. Therefore, in order to achieve better understanding about the advantages and superiorities of combining low-dimensional perovskites with their 3D counterparts in improving the PCEs and durability of 3D-PSCs, the recent advances in the development and fabrication of mixeddimensional PSCs with 1D/0D perovskites as passivators are summarized and discussed in the review.The superiority of 1D/0D perovskites as passivators over 2D counterparts, the passivation mechanism and the methods of 1D/0D perovskites are also presented and discussed. Furthermore, the rules to choose1D/0D perovskites or relevant spacer cations are also emphasized. On this basis, several specific strategies to design and fabricate mixed-dimensional PSCs with 1D/0D perovskites are presented and discussed.Finally, the crucial challenges and future research directions of mixed-dimensional PSCs with 1D/0D perovskites as passivators are also proposed and discussed. This review will provide some useful insights for the future development of high-efficiency and durable mixed-dimensional PSCs.

Analyzing and Exploring a Model for High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite materials have drawn a lot of interest recently due to their potential to increase solar cell efficiency. This study uses the solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS-1D) to develop and simulate a perovskite solar cell made of semiconductor materials. The design that has been suggested is Al:ZnO/ZnO/CdS/CsSnCl3 and MoS2. The analysis focuses on how different characteristics of the material affect the device’s performance. The analysis of the data reveals that the architecture had 26.15% power conversion efficiency (PCE). The solar cell creates an interest in developing a non-toxic solar cell with low manufacturing costs, outstanding conversion efficiency, and stability.

Composite electron transport layer for efficient N-I-P type monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with high open-circuit voltage

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells(PSTSCs) have exhibited huge technological potential for breaking the Shockley-Queisser limit of single-junction solar cells. The efficiency of P-I-N type PSTSCs has surpassed the single-junction limit, while the performance of N-I-P type PSTSCs is far below the theoretical value. Here, we developed a composite electron transport layer for N-I-P type monolithic PSTSCs with enhanced open-circuit voltage(VOC) and power conversion efficiency(PCE). Lithium chloride(Li Cl) was added into the tin oxide(SnO_(2)) precursor solution, which simultaneously passivated the defects and increased the electron injection driving force at the electron transfer layer(ETL)/perovskite interface.Eventually, we achieved monolithic PSTSCs with an efficiency of 25.42% and V_(OC) of 1.92 V, which is the highest PCE and VOCin N-I-P type perovskite/Si tandem devices. This work on interface engineering for improving the PCE of monolithic PSTSCs may bring a new hot point about perovskite-based tandem devices.

A Special Additive Enables All Cations and Anions Passivation for Stable Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency over 23%

Passivating undercoordinated ions is an effective way to reduce the defect densities at the surface and grain boundaries(GBs)of perovskite materials for enhanced photovoltaic performance and stability of perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Here,(BBF)complex is chosen as a multifunctional additive,which contains both C7H9N and BF3 groups working as Lewis base and Lewis acid,respectively,can bond with Pb^(2+)/I^(−) and FA+on the surface and in the GBs in the perovskite film,affording passivation of both cation and anion defects.The synergistic effect of the C7H9N and BF3 complex slows the crystallization during the perovskite film deposition to improve the crystalline quality,which reduces the trap density and the recombination in the perovskite film to suppress nonradiative recombination loss and minimizes moisture permeation to improve the stability of the perovskite material.Meanwhile,such an additive improves the energy-level alignment between the valence band of the perovskite and the highest occupied molecular orbital of the hole-transporting material,Spiro-OMeTAD.Consequently,our work achieves power conversion efficiency of 23.24%,accompanied by enhanced stability under ambient conditions and light illumination and opens a new avenue for improving the performance of PSCs through the use of a multifunctional complex.

Bismuth-interlayer-based Stable Electrode for Efficient and Stable Halide Perovskite Solar Cell

Highly efficient and low-cost halide perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have attracted great attention over the last few years as one of the most promising photovoltaic(PV)technologies.Yet,to gauge the technical feasibility for commercialization of PV technologies,the long-term stability of PSCs is still a challenge that must be addressed[1].

Predicting the device performance of the perovskite solar cells from the experimental parameters through machine learning of existing experimental results

The performance of the metal halide perovskite solar cells(PSCs)highly relies on the experimental parameters,including the fabrication processes and the compositions of the perovskites;tremendous experimental work has been done to optimize these factors.However,predicting the device performance of the PSCs from the fabrication parameters before experiments is still challenging.Herein,we bridge this gap by machine learning(ML)based on a dataset including 1072 devices from peer-reviewed publications.The optimized ML model accurately predicts the PCE from the experimental parameters with a root mean square error of 1.28%and a Pearson coefficientr of 0.768.Moreover,the factors governing the device performance are ranked by shapley additive explanations(SHAP),among which,A-site cation is crucial to getting highly efficient PSCs.Experiments and density functional theory calculations are employed to validate and help explain the predicting results by the ML model.Our work reveals the feasibility of ML in predicting the device performance from the experimental parameters before experiments,which enables the reverse experimental design toward highly efficient PSCs.

Homogeneous permeation and oriented crystallization in nanostructured mesopores for efficient and stable printable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells

The low-cost and scalable printable mesoporous perovskite solar cells(p-MPSCs) face significant challenges in regulating perovskite crystal growth due to their nanoscale mesoporous scaffold structure, which limits the improvement of device power conversion efficiency(PCE). In particular, the most commonly used solvents, N,N-dimethylformamide(DMF) and dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO), have a single chemical interaction with the precursor components and high volatility, which is insufficient to self-regulate the perovskite crystallization process, leading to explosive nucleation and limited growth within mesoporous scaffolds. Here, we report a mixed solvent system composed of methylamine formaldehyde(MAFa)-based ionic liquid and acetonitrile(ACN) with the strong C=O–Pb coordination and N–H···I hydrogen bonding with perovskite components. We found that the mixed solvent system is beneficial for the precursor solution to homogeneously penetrate into the mesoporous scaffold,and the strong C=O–Pb coordination and N–H···I hydrogen bonding interaction can promote the oriented growth of perovskite crystals. This synergistic effect increased the PCE of the p-MPSCs from 17.50% to 19.21%, which is one of the highest records for p-MPSC in recent years. Additionally, the devices exhibit positive environmental stability, retaining over 90% of the original PCE after 1,200 h of aging under AM 1.5 illumination conditions at 55 ℃ and 55% humidity.

Machine learning enables intelligent screening of interface materials towards minimizing voltage losses for p-i-n type perovskite solar cells

Interface engineering is proved to be the most important strategy to push the device performance of the perovskite solar cell(PSC) to its limit, and numerous works have been conducted to screen efficient materials. Here, on the basis of the previous studies, we employ machine learning to map the relationship between the interface material and the device performance, leading to intelligently screening interface materials towards minimizing voltage losses in p-i-n type PSCs. To enhance the explainability of the machine learning models, molecular descriptors are used to represent the materials. Furthermore,experimental analysis with different characterization methods and device simulation based on the drift-diffusion physical model are conducted to get physical insights and validate the machine learning models. Accordingly, 3-thiophene ethylamine hydrochloride(Th EACl) is screened as an example, which enables remarkable improvements in VOCand PCE of the PSCs. Our work reveals the critical role of datadriven analysis in the high throughput screening of interface materials, which will significantly accelerate the exploration of new materials for high-efficiency PSCs.

Low-dimensional perovskite modified 3D structures for higher-performance solar cells

For solution prepared perovskite solar cells,metal halide perovskite materials with low-dimensional(LD)are flexibly employed in 3D perovskite solar cells to promote efficiency and long-term stability.In this review,the various structures,properties,and applications of LD perovskites are firstly summarized and discussed.To take advantage of LD materials,LD perovskites are introduced in the 3D bulk and/or the interface between the perovskite thin film and the carrier transporting layer to passivate the gain boundary defects while providing the stability advantage of LD materials.Therefore,the preparation methods and crystallization control of the LD perovskite layers are discussed in depth.Then,the combined devices using both LD and 3D components are reviewed on the basis of device design,cell structure,interface charge transfer,energy lever alignment,and synergistic improvement of both efficiency and stability.Finally,the challenges and expectations are speculated for further development of perovskite solar cells.

Recent Progress of Layered Perovskite Solar Cells Incorporating Aromatic Spacers

Layered two dimensional(2D) or quasi-2D perovskites are emerging photovoltaic materials due to their superior environment and structure stability in comparison with their 3D counterparts. The typical 2D perovskites can be obtained by cutting 3D perovskites along < 100 > orientation by incorporation of bulky organic spacers, which play a key role in the performance of 2D perovskite solar cells(PSCs). Compared with aliphatic spacers, aromatic spacers with high dielectric constant have the potential to decrease the dielectric and quantum confinement effect of 2D perovskites, promote efficient charge transport and reduce the exciton binding energy, all of which are beneficial for the photovoltaic performance of 2D PSCs. In this review, we aim to provide useful guidelines for the design of aromatic spacers for 2D perovskites. We systematically reviewed the recent progress of aromatic spacers used in 2D PSCs. Finally, we propose the possible design strategies for aromatic spacers that may lead to more efficient and stable 2D PSCs.