Polymer passivation layers can improve the open-circuit voltage of perovskite solar cells when inserted at the perovskite–charge transport layer interfaces. Unfortunately, many such layers are poor conductors, leading to a trade-off between passivation quality (voltage) and series resistance (fill factor, FF). Here, we introduce a nanopatterned electron transport layer that overcomes this trade-off by modifying the spatial distribution of the passivation layer to form nanoscale localized charge transport pathways through an otherwise passivated interface, thereby providing both effective passivation and excellent charge extraction. By combining the nanopatterned electron transport layer with a dopant-free hole transport layer, we achieved a certified power conversion efficiency of 21.6% for a 1-square-centimeter cell with FF of 0.839, and demonstrate an encapsulated cell that retains ~91.7% of its initial efficiency after 1000 hours of damp heat exposure.

Defect‐mediated carrier recombination at the interfaces between perovskite and neighboring charge transport layers limits the efficiency of most state‐of‐the‐art perovskite solar cells. Passivation of interfacial defects is thus essential for attaining cell efficiencies close to the theoretical limit. In this work, a novel double‐sided passivation of 3D perovskite films is demonstrated with thin surface layers of bulky organic cation–based halide compound forming 2D layered perovskite. Highly efficient (22.77%) mixed‐dimensional perovskite devices with a remarkable open‐circuit voltage of 1.2 V are reported for a perovskite film having an optical bandgap of ≈1.6 eV. Using a combination of experimental and numerical analyses, it is shown that the double‐sided surface layers provide effective defect passivation at both the electron and hole transport layer interfaces, suppressing surface recombination on both sides of the active layer. Despite the semi‐insulating nature of the passivation layers, an increase in the fill factor of optimized cells is observed. The efficient carrier extraction is explained by incomplete surface coverage of the 2D perovskite layer, allowing charge transport through localized unpassivated regions, similar to tunnel‐oxide passivation layers used in silicon photovoltaics. Optimization of the defect passivation properties of these films has the potential to further increase cell efficiencies.

Organic solar cells possess multiple desirable traits, such as low cost, flexibility, and semitransparency, which opens up potential avenues unavailable to other solar technologies, a prime example of this being window applications. For this specific application, a delicate balance between the transmission of light through the device and power conversion efficiency (PCE), dependent on the amount of light absorbed, must be optimized. Here, we report a high-efficiency semitransparent device based on a novel fullerene-free material system. Using an active layer based on the material system PBDB-T:ITIC, optimized devices exhibited PCEs exceeding 7% while also achieving an average visible transmittance (AVT) of 25%. The concurrent demonstration of high efficiency with an AVT of 25% represents a notable step forward for semitransparent organic solar cells. Additionally, the influence of the active layer thickness on the color rendering properties of these cells was studied. Optimization of the active layer thickness can lead to high-efficiency cells, with high visible transmission as well as the ability to display an image accurately.

Perovskite solar cells are a potential game changer for the photovoltaics industry, courtesy of their facile fabrication and high efficiency. Despite this, commercialization is being held back by poor stability. To become economically feasible for commercial production, perovskite solar cells must meet or exceed industry standards for operational lifetime and reliability. In this regard, mixed dimensional 2D‐3D perovskite solar cells, incorporating long carbon‐chain organic spacer cations, have shown promising results, with enhancement in both device efficiency and stability. Dimensional engineering of perovskite films requires a delicate balance of 2D and 3D perovskite composition to take advantage of the specific properties of each material phase. This review summarizes and assesses the current understanding, and apparent contradictions in the state‐of‐the‐art mixed dimensional perovskite solar cell literature regarding the origin of stability and performance enhancement. By combining and comparing results from experimental and theoretical studies it is focused on how the perovskite composition, film formation methods, additive and solvent engineering influence efficiency and stability, and identify future research directions to further improve both key performance metrics.

Mixed‐dimensional perovskite solar cells combining 3D and 2D perovskites have recently attracted wide interest owing to improved device efficiency and stability. Yet, it remains unclear which method of combining 3D and 2D perovskites works best to obtain a mixed‐dimensional system with the advantages of both types. To address this, different strategies of combining 2D perovskites with a 3D perovskite are investigated, namely surface coating and bulk incorporation. It is found that through surface coating with different aliphatic alkylammonium bulky cations, a Ruddlesden–Popper “quasi‐2D” perovskite phase is formed on the surface of the 3D perovskite that passivates the surface defects and significantly improves the device performance. In contrast, incorporating those bulky cations into the bulk induces the formation of the pure 2D perovskite phase throughout the bulk of the 3D perovskite, which negatively affects the crystallinity and electronic structure of the 3D perovskite framework and reduces the device performance. Using the surface‐coating strategy with n‐butylammonium bromide to fabricate semitransparent perovskite cells and combining with silicon cells in four‐terminal tandem configuration, 27.7% tandem efficiency with interdigitated back contact silicon bottom cells (size‐unmatched) and 26.2% with passivated emitter with rear locally diffused silicon bottom cells is achieved in a 1 cm2 size‐matched tandem.

Tin oxide (SnO 2 ) has been reported as a promising electron transport layer (ETL) for planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This work reports a low temperature solution-processed bilayer SnO 2 as an efficient ETL in gas-quenched planar-heterojunction methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3 ) perovskite solar cells. SnO 2 nanoparticles were employed to fill the pin-holes of sol−gel SnO 2 layer and form a smooth and compact bilayer structure. The PCE of bilayer devices has increased by 30% compared with sol− gel reference device and the J sc , V oc , and FF has been improved simultaneously. The superior performance of bilayer SnO 2 is attributed to the reduced current leakage, enhanced electron extraction characteristics, and mitigated the trapassisted interfacial recombination via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and space-charge limited current−voltage (SCLC) analysis.

No abstract

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a new class of optoelectronic semiconductors that revolutionized the photovoltaic research in the recent years. The perovskite solar cells present numerous advantages include unique electronic structure, bandgap tunability, superior charge transport properties, facile processing, and low cost. Perovskite solar cells have demonstrated unprecedented progress in efficiency and its architecture evolved over the period of the last 5-6 years, achieving a high power conversion efficiency of about 22% in 2016, serving as a promising candidate with the potential to replace the existing commercial PV technologies. This review discusses the progress of perovskite solar cells focusing on aspects such as superior electronic properties and unique features of halide perovskite materials compared to that of conventional light absorbing semiconductors. The review also presents a brief overview of device architectures, fabrication methods, and interface engineering of perovskite solar cells. The last part of the review elaborates on the major challenges such as hysteresis and stability issues in perovskite solar cells that serve as a bottleneck for successful commercialization of this promising PV technology.