Large datasets are now ubiquitous as technology enables higher-throughput experiments, but rarely can a research field truly benefit from the research data generated due to inconsistent formatting, undocumented storage or improper dissemination. Here we extract all the meaningful device data from peer-reviewed papers on metal-halide perovskite solar cells published so far and make them available in a database. We collect data from over 42,400 photovoltaic devices with up to 100 parameters per device. We then develop open-source and accessible procedures to analyse the data, providing examples of insights that can be gleaned from the analysis of a large dataset. The database, graphics and analysis tools are made available to the community and will continue to evolve as an open-source initiative. This approach of extensively capturing the progress of an entire field, including sorting, interactive exploration and graphical representation of the data, will be applicable to many fields in materials science, engineering and biosciences.

We demonstrate highly efficient, stable, and flexible perovskite solar cells of large areas, utilizing a carbon back-contact electrode in a p–i–n cell configuration. We enabled good electronic contact at the interface with carbon by inserting an ultrathin buffer layer before the carbon coating. Solar cells of such structure reach a power conversion efficiency of 15.18% on PET foil (device area of 1 cm2). We performed impedance spectroscopy and transient decay measurements to understand the electron transport characteristics. Furthermore, we demonstrate excellent operational (maximum power point) and thermal (85 °C) stability of these devices over 1000 h of aging.

Metal halide perovskites are the first solution processed semiconductors that can compete in their functionality with conventional semiconductors, such as silicon. Over the past several years, perovskite semiconductors have reported breakthroughs in various optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells, photodetectors, light emitting and memory devices, and so on. Until now, perovskite semiconductors face challenges regarding their stability, reproducibility, and toxicity. In this Roadmap, we combine the expertise of chemistry, physics, and device engineering from leading experts in the perovskite research community to focus on the fundamental material properties, the fabrication methods, characterization and photophysical properties, perovskite devices, and current challenges in this field. We develop a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art and offer readers an informed perspective of where this field is heading and what challenges we have to overcome to get to successful commercialization.

Cost management and toxic waste generation are two key issues that must be addressed before the commercialization of perovskite optoelectronic devices. We report a groundbreaking strategy for eco-friendly and cost-effective fabrication of highly efficient perovskite solar cells. This strategy involves the usage of a high volatility co-solvent, which dilutes perovskite precursors to a lower concentration (<0.5 M) while retaining similar film quality and device performance as a high concentration (>1.4 M) solution. More than 70% of toxic waste and material cost can be reduced. Mechanistic insights reveal ultra-rapid evaporation of the co-solvent together with beneficial alteration of the precursor colloidal chemistry upon dilution with co-solvent, which in-situ studies and theoretical simulations confirm. The co-solvent tuned precursor colloidal properties also contribute to the enhancement of the stability of precursor solution, which extends its processing window thus minimizing the waste. This strategy is universally successful across different perovskite compositions, and scales from small devices to large-scale modules using industrial spin-coating, potentially easing the lab-to-fab translation of perovskite technologies.

Organo-metal halide perovskite demonstrates a large potential for achieving highly efficient photovoltaic devices. The scaling up process represents one of the major challenges to exploit this technology at the industrial level. Here, the scaling up of perovskite solar modules from 5x5 cm 2 to 10x10 cm 2 substrate area is reported by blade coating both the CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite and the Spiro-OMeTAD layers. The sequential deposition approach is used in which both lead iodide (PbI2) deposition and the conversion step are optimized by using additives. The PbI2 solution is modified by adding methylammonium iodide (MAI) which improve perovskite crystallinity and pore filling of the mesoporous TiO2 scaffold. Optimization of the conversion step is achieved by adding a small concentration of water into the MAI-based solution, producing large cubic CH3NH3PbI3 grains. The combination of the two modifications lead to a power conversion efficiency of 14.7% on a perovskite solar module with an active area of 47 cm 2 .