The area of thin-film photovoltaics has been overwhelmed by organometal halide perovskites. Unfortunately, serious stability concerns arise with perovskite solar cells. For example, methyl-ammonium lead iodide is known to decompose in the presence of water and, more severely, even under inert conditions at elevated temperatures. Here, we demonstrate inverted perovskite solar cells, in which the decomposition of the perovskite is significantly mitigated even at elevated temperatures. Specifically, we introduce a bilayered electron-extraction interlayer consisting of aluminium-doped zinc oxide and tin oxide. We evidence tin oxide grown by atomic layer deposition does form an outstandingly dense gas permeation barrier that effectively hinders the ingress of moisture towards the perovskite and—more importantly—it prevents the egress of decomposition products of the perovskite. Thereby, the overall decomposition of the perovskite is significantly suppressed, leading to an outstanding device stability.

The electronic structure of a large sample set of CH3 NH3 PbI3 -based perovskites is studied. Combined investigations by UV/X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction reveal that interstitials present in the film lead to changes in the occupied density of states close to the valence band, which in turn influences the performance of solar cells. Changes in elemental composition tune the ionization energy of the perovskite film by almost 1 eV without introducing significant amounts of gap states.

Metal-halide perovskite semiconductors are of tremendous interest for a variety of applications. Only recently, solar cells based on a representative of this family have been certified with an efficiency in excess of 24%.[1] Aside from their remarkable success in photovoltaics, metal-halide perovskites are also highly promising as light emitters, e.g., in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or lasers. [2][3][4] LEDs based on the fruit-fly of these compounds, i.e., methylammonium lead iodide (CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 or MAPbI 3 ), and other related perovskites have been demonstrated with continuously increasing efficiency. [5][6][7] For lasers, there is the vision that perovskites may overcome/avoid the typical limitations and loss mechanisms present in organic gain media, such as triplet-singlet annihilation or absorption due to triplet excitons and Cesium lead halide perovskites are of interest for light-emitting diodes and lasers. So far, thin-films of CsPbX 3 have typically afforded very low photoluminescence quantum yields (PL-QY < 20%) and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) only at cryogenic temperatures, as defect related nonradiative recombination dominated at room temperature (RT). There is a current belief that, for efficient light emission from lead halide perovskites at RT, the charge carriers/excitons need to be confined on the nanometer scale, like in CsPbX 3 nanoparticles (NPs).Here, thin films of cesium lead bromide, which show a high PL-QY of 68% and low-threshold ASE at RT, are presented. As-deposited layers are recrystallized by thermal imprint, which results in continuous films (100% coverage of the substrate), composed of large crystals with micrometer lateral extension. Using these layers, the first cesium lead bromide thin-film distributed feedback and vertical cavity surface emitting lasers with ultralow threshold at RT that do not rely on the use of NPs are demonstrated. It is foreseen that these results will have a broader impact beyond perovskite lasers and will advise a revision of the paradigm that efficient light emission from CsPbX 3 perovskites can only be achieved with NPs.

Photonic nanostructures are created in organo-metal halide perovskites by thermal nanoimprint lithography at a temperature of 100 °C. The imprinted layers are significantly smoothened compared to the initially rough, polycrystalline layers and the impact of surface defects is substantially mitigated upon imprint. As a case study, 2D photonic crystals are shown to afford lasing with ultralow lasing thresholds at room temperature.

Semitransparent perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are of interest for application in tandem solar cells and building-integrated photovoltaics. Unfortunately, several perovskites decompose when exposed to moisture or elevated temperatures. Concomitantly, metal electrodes can be degraded by the corrosive decomposition products of the perovskite. This is even the more problematic for semitransparent PSCs, in which the semitransparent top electrode is based on ultrathin metal films. Here, we demonstrate outstandingly robust PSCs with semitransparent top electrodes, where an ultrathin Ag layer is sandwiched between SnO x grown by low-temperature atomic layer deposition. The SnO x forms an electrically conductive permeation barrier, which protects both the perovskite and the ultrathin silver electrode against the detrimental impact of moisture. At the same time, the SnO x cladding layer underneath the ultra-thin Ag layer shields the metal against corrosive halide compounds leaking out of the perovskite. Our semitransparent PSCs show an efficiency higher than 11% along with about 70% average transmittance in the near-infrared region (λ > 800 nm) and an average transmittance of 29% for λ = 400-900 nm. The devices reveal an astonishing stability over more than 4500 hours regardless if they are exposed to ambient atmosphere or to elevated temperatures.