Remnant PbI2, an unforeseen necessity in high-efficiency hybrid perovskite-based solar cells?

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have made immense progress in recent years, owing to outstanding optoelectronic properties of perovskite materials, such as high extinction coefficient, carrier mobility, and low exciton binding energy. Since the first appearance in 2009, the efficiency of PSCs has reached 23.3%. This has made them the most promising rival to silicon-based solar cells. However, there are still several issues to resolve to promote PSCs’ outdoor applications. In this review, three crucial aspects of PSCs, including high efficiency, environmental stability, and low-cost of PSCs, are described in detail. Recent in-depth studies on different aspects are also discussed for better understanding of these issues and possible solutions.

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Stretchable and colorless freestanding microwire arrays for transparent solar cells with flexibility

Light Science & Applications ◽

10.1038/s41377-019-0234-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Sung Bum Kang ◽

Ji-Hwan Kim ◽

Myeong Hoon Jeong ◽

Amit Sanger ◽

Chan Ul Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Side Surface ◽

Light Transmittance ◽

Deep Reactive Ion Etching ◽

Hybrid Perovskite ◽

Reflected Light ◽

Real World Applications ◽

P Type ◽

Difference Time

AbstractTransparent solar cells (TSCs) are emerging devices that combine the advantages of visible transparency and light-to-electricity conversion. Currently, existing TSCs are based predominantly on organics, dyes, and perovskites; however, the rigidity and color-tinted transparent nature of those devices strongly limit the utility of the resulting TSCs for real-world applications. Here, we demonstrate a flexible, color-neutral, and high-efficiency TSC based on a freestanding form of n-silicon microwires (SiMWs). Flat-tip SiMWs with controllable spacing are fabricated via deep-reactive ion etching and embedded in a freestanding transparent polymer matrix. The light transmittance can be tuned from ~10 to 55% by adjusting the spacing between the microwires. For TSCs, a heterojunction is formed with a p-type polymer in the top portion of the n-type flat-tip SiMWs. Ohmic contact with an indium-doped ZnO film occurs at the bottom, and the side surface has an Al2O3 passivation layer. Furthermore, slanted-tip SiMWs are developed by a novel solvent-assisted wet etching method to manipulate light absorption. Finite-difference time-domain simulation revealed that the reflected light from slanted-tip SiMWs helps light-matter interactions in adjacent microwires. The TSC based on the slanted-tip SiMWs demonstrates 8% efficiency at a visible transparency of 10% with flexibility. This efficiency is the highest among Si-based TSCs and comparable with that of state-of-the-art neutral-color TSCs based on organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite and organics. Moreover, unlike others, the stretchable and transparent platform in this study is promising for future TSCs.

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Room-temperature crystallization of hybrid-perovskite thin films via solvent–solvent extraction for high-performance solar cells

Journal of Materials Chemistry A ◽

10.1039/c5ta00477b ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (15) ◽

pp. 8178-8184 ◽

Cited By ~ 277

Author(s):

Yuanyuan Zhou ◽

Mengjin Yang ◽

Wenwen Wu ◽

Alexander L. Vasiliev ◽

Kai Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solvent Extraction ◽

High Performance ◽

Room Temperature ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Hybrid Perovskite ◽

High Efficiency Solar Cells ◽

Temperature Crystallization ◽

Solvent Solvent

A simple one-step solvent-bathing process based on solvent–solvent extraction, is demonstrated for the controlled room-temperature crystallization of uniform, ultra-smooth hybrid-perovskite thin films for high-efficiency solar cells.

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Solvent Engineering for Intermediates Phase, All-Ambient-Air-Processed in Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano9070915 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 915 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Lei Shi ◽

Huiying Hao ◽

Jingjing Dong ◽

Tingting Zhong ◽

Chen Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Intermediate Phase ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Continuous Illumination ◽

Large Area ◽

Hybrid Perovskite ◽

Crystallization Procedure ◽

Output Efficiency

Intermediate phase is considered an important aspect to deeply understand the crystallization procedure in the growth of high-quality perovskite layers by an anti-solvent technique. However, the moisture influence on the intermediate phase formation is not clear in air conditions as yet. In this work, pure (FA0.2MA1.8)Pb3X8(DMSO·DMF) intermediate phase was obtained in as-prepared perovskite film by spin-coating the precursor of co-solvent (DMSO and DMF) in an ambient air (RH20–30%). Moreover, the appropriate quantity of ethyl acetate (C4H8O2, EA) also controls the formation of pure intermediate phase. The uniform and homogeneous perovskite film was obtained after annealing this intermediate film. Therefore, the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is 16.24% with an average PCE of 15.53%, of which almost 86% of its initial PCE was preserved after 30 days in air conditions. Besides, the steady-state output efficiency ups to 15.38% under continuous illumination. In addition, the PCE of large area device (100 mm2) reaches 11.11% with a little hysteresis effect. This work would give an orientation for PSCs production at the commercial level, which could lower the cost of fabricating the high efficiency PSCs.

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Metal-Organic Framework Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym12092061 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 2061

Author(s):

Do Yeon Heo ◽

Ha Huu Do ◽

Sang Hyun Ahn ◽

Soo Young Kim

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Metal Organic Framework ◽

Perovskite Solar Cells ◽

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽

Hole Transport ◽

Framework Materials ◽

Hybrid Perovskite ◽

Hole Transport Layers ◽

Metal Organic

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and MOF-derived materials have been used for several applications, such as hydrogen storage and separation, catalysis, and drug delivery, owing to them having a significantly large surface area and open pore structure. In recent years, MOFs have also been applied to thin-film solar cells, and attractive results have been obtained. In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the MOF materials are used in the form of an additive for electron and hole transport layers, interlayer, and hybrid perovskite/MOF. MOFs have the potential to be used as a material for obtaining PSCs with high efficiency and stability. In this study, we briefly explain the synthesis of MOFs and the performance of organic and dye-sensitized solar cells with MOFs. Furthermore, we provide a detailed overview on the performance of the most recently reported PSCs using MOFs.

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