Tin triiodide perovskite (TTPs), as alternatives to their
Pb counterparts,
have shown great promise in photovoltaic application, and the power
conversion efficiency (PCE) of Pb-free TTPs-based perovskite solar
cells (PSCs) has recently been observed approaching 15%. Nevertheless,
to realize the future commercialization of TTPs-based PSCs, it is
still challenging to further improve the device performance, while
the high cost of tin iodide (SnI2) source also remains
a big concern. Therefore, seeking for a cost-effective SnI2 source has been one of the most important topics during the development
course of TTPs-based PSCs. In this topical Review, we summarize the
advanced studies focusing on developing cost-effective SnI2 sources for TTPs-based PSCs. Various SnI2 materials currently
used for fabricating efficient TTPs-based PSCs are introduced, including
commercial SnI2, purified commercial SnI2, and
chemically synthesized SnI2. Also, the impact of different
SnI2 sources on the crystallization process and properties
of the TTPs films is discussed. At last, the current challenges and
future prospects regarding the SnI2 source engineering
of TTPs-based PSCs are provided. This Review could guide the further
development of TTPs-based perovskite in the application of low-cost,
efficient, and stable optoelectronic devices.