Fusing Nanowires into Thin Films: Fabrication of Graded‐Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Performance

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have recently experienced a rapid rise in power conversion efficiency (PCE), but the prevailing PSCs with conventional mesoscopic or planar device architectures still contain nonideal perovskite/hole‐transporting‐layer (HTL) interfaces, limiting further enhancement in PCE and device stability. In this work, CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanowires are employed for modifying the surface electronic states of bulk perovskite thin films, forming compositionally‐graded heterojunction at the perovskite/HTL interface of PSCs. The nanowire morphology is found to be key to achieving lateral homogeneity in the perovskite film surface states resulting in a near‐ideal graded heterojunction. The hidden role of such lateral homogeneity on the performance of graded‐heterojunction PSCs is revealed for the first time. The resulting PSCs show high PCE up to 21.4%, as well as high operational stability, which is superior to control PSCs fabricated without CsPbBr₃‐nanocrystals modification and with CsPbBr₃‐nanocubes modification. This study demonstrates the promise of controlled hybridization of perovskite nanowires and bulk thin films for more efficient and stable PSCs.     

Efficient Passivation with Lead Pyridine‐2‐Carboxylic for High‐Performance and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Stability has become the main obstacle for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) despite the impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE). Poor crystallization and ion migration of perovskite are the major origins of its degradation under working condition. Here, high‐performance PSCs incorporated with pyridine‐2‐carboxylic lead salt (PbPyA₂) are fabricated. The pyridine and carboxyl groups on PbPyA₂ can not only control crystallization but also passivate grain boundaries (GBs), which result in the high‐quality perovskite film with larger grains and fewer defects. In addition, the strong interaction among the hydrophobic PbPyA₂ molecules and perovskite GBs acts as barriers to ion migration and component volatilization when exposed to external stresses. Consequently, superior optoelectronic perovskite films with improved thermal and moisture stability are obtained. The resulting device shows a champion efficiency of 19.96% with negligible hysteresis. Furthermore, thermal (90 °C) and moisture (RH 40–60%) stability are improved threefold, maintaining 80% of initial efficiency after aging for 480 h. More importantly, the doped device exhibits extraordinary improvement of operational stability and remains 93% of initial efficiency under maximum power point (MPP) tracking for 540 h.     

Structurally Reconstructed CsPbI2Br Perovskite for Highly Stable and Square‐Centimeter All‐Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells

Although all‐inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) demonstrate high thermal stability, cesium‐lead halide perovskites with high iodine content suffer from poor stability of the black phase (α‐phase). In this study, it is demonstrated that incorporating InCl₃ into the host perovskite lattice helps to inhibit the formation of yellow phase (δ‐phase) perovskite and thereby enhances the long‐term ambient stability. The enhanced stability is achieved by a strategy for the structural reconstruction of CsPbI₂Br perovskite by means of In³⁺ and Cl^? codoping, which gives rise to a significant improvement in the overall spatial symmetry with a closely packed atom arrangement due to the crystal structure transformation from orthorhombic (Pnma) to cubic (Pm‐3m). In addition, a novel thermal radiation heating method that further improves the uniformity of the perovskite thin films is presented. This approach enables the construction of all‐inorganic InCl₃:CsPbI₂Br PSCs with a champion power conversion efficiency of 13.74% for a small‐area device (0.09 cm²) and 11.4% for a large‐area device (1.00 cm²).     

Simultaneous Improved Performance and Thermal Stability of Planar Metal Ion Incorporated CsPbI2Br All‐Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells Based on MgZnO Nanocrystalline Electron Transporting Layer

The high thermal stability and facile synthesis of CsPbI₂Br all‐inorganic perovskite solar cells (AI‐PSCs) have attracted tremendous attention. As far as electron‐transporting layers (ETLs) are concerned, low temperature processing and reduced interfacial recombination centers through tunable energy levels determine the feasibility of the perovskite devices. Although the TiO₂ is the most popular ETL used in PSCs, its processing temperature and moderate electron mobility hamper the performance and feasibility. Herein, the highly stable, low‐temperature processed MgZnO nanocrystal‐based ETLs for dynamic hot‐air processed Mn²⁺ incorporated CsPbI2Br AI‐PSCs are reported. By holding its regular planar “n–i–p” type device architecture, the MgZnO ETL and poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) hole transporting layer, 15.52% power conversion efficiency (PCE) is demonstrated. The thermal‐stability analysis reveals that the conventional ZnO ETL‐based AI‐PSCs show a serious instability and poor efficiency than the Mg²⁺ modified MgZnO ETLs. The photovoltaic and stability analysis of this improved photovoltaic performance is attributed to the suitable wide‐bandgap, low ETL/perovskite interface recombination, and interface stability by Mg²⁺ doping. Interestingly, the thermal stability analysis of the unencapsulated AI‐PSCs maintains >95% of initial PCE more than 400 h at 85 °C for MgZnO ETL, revealing the suitability against thermal degradation than conventional ZnO ETL.     

High‐Efficiency CsPbI2Br Perovskite Solar Cells with Dopant‐Free Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) Hole Transporting Layers

CsPbI₂Br is emerging as a promising all‐inorganic material for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its more stable lattice structure and moisture resistance compared to CsPbI₃, although its device performance is still much behind this counterpart. Herein, a preannealing process is developed and systematically investigated to achieve high‐quality CsPbI₂Br films by regulating the nucleation and crystallization of perovskite. The preannealing temperature and time are specifically optimized for a dopant‐free poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT)‐based device to target dopant‐induced drastic performance degradation for spiro‐OMeTAD‐based devices. The resulting P3HT‐based device exhibits comparable power conversion efficiency (PCE) to spiro‐OMeTAD‐based devices but much enhanced ambient stability with over 95% PCE after 1300 h. A diphenylamine derivative is introduced as a buffer layer to improve the energy‐level mismatch between CsPbI₂Br and P3HT. A record‐high PCE of 15.50% for dopant‐free P3HT‐based CsPbI₂Br PSCs is achieved by alleviating the open‐circuit voltage loss with the buffer layer. These results demonstrate that the preannealing processing together with a suitable buffer layer are applicable strategies for developing dopant‐free P3HT PSCs with high efficiency and stability.     

High‐Performance Perovskite Solar Cells with Excellent Humidity and Thermo‐Stability via Fluorinated Perylenediimide

The notoriously poor stability of perovskite solar cells is a crucial issue restricting commercial applications. Here, a fluorinated perylenediimide (F‐PDI) is first introduced into perovskite film to enhance the device's photovoltaic performance, as well as thermal and moisture stability simultaneously. The conductive F‐PDI molecules filling at grain boundaries (GBs) and surface of perovskite film can passivate defects and promote charge transport through GBs due to the chelation between carbonyl of F‐PDI and noncoordinating lead. Furthermore, an effective multiple hydrophobic structure is formed to protect perovskite film from moisture erosion. As a result, the F‐PDI‐incorporated devices based on MAPbI₃ and Cs_0.05 (FA_0.83MA_0.17)_0.95 Pb (Br_0.17I_0.83)₃ absorber achieve champion efficiencies of 18.28% and 19.26%, respectively. Over 80% of the initial efficiency is maintained after exposure in air for 30 days with a relative humidity (RH) of 50%. In addition, the strong hydrogen bonding of F···H‐N can immobilize methylamine ion (MA⁺) and thus enhances the thermal stability of device, remaining nearly 70% of the initial value after thermal treatment (100 °C) for 24 h at 50% RH condition.     

In Situ Polymerization of Cross-Linked Perovskite–Polymer Composites for Highly Stable and Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

Mixed-halide perovskites have emerged as outstanding light absorbers that enable the fabrication of efficient solar cells; however, their instability hinders the commercialization of such systems. Grain-boundary (GB) defects and lattice tensile strain are critical intrinsic-instability factors in polycrystalline perovskite films. In this study, the light-induced cross-linking of acrylamide (Am) monomers with non-crystalline perovskite films is used to fabricate highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The Am monomers induce the preferred crystal orientation in the polycrystalline perovskite films, enlarge the perovskite grain size, and cross-link the perovskite grains. Additionally, the liquid properties of Am effectively releases lattice strain during perovskite-film crystallization. The cross-linked interfacial layer functions as an airtight wall that protects the perovskite film from water corrosion. Devices fabricated using the proposed strategy show an excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.45% with an open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of 1.199 V, which, to date, is the highest V_OC reported for hybrid PSCs with electron transport layers (ETLs) comprised of TiO₂. Large-area PSC modules fabricated using the proposed strategy show a power conversion efficiency of 20.31% (with a high fill factor of 77.1%) over an active area of 33 cm², with excellent storage stability.     

Long‐Lasting Nanophosphors Applied to UV‐Resistant and Energy Storage Perovskite Solar Cells

Recently, considerable progress is achieved in lab prototype perovskite solar cells (PSCs); however, the stability of outdoor applications of PSCs remains a challenge due to the high sensitivity of perovskite material under moist and ultraviolet (UV) light conditions. In this work, the UV photostability of PSC devices is improved by incorporating a photon downshifting layer—SrAl₂O₄: Eu²⁺, Dy³⁺ (SAED)—prepared using the pulsed laser deposition approach. Light‐induced deep trap states in the photoactive layer are depressed, and UV light‐induced device degradation is inhibited after the SAED modification. Optimized power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.8% is obtained through the enhanced light harvesting and reduced carrier recombination provided by SAED. More importantly, a solar energy storage effect due to the long‐persistent luminescence of SAED is obtained after light illumination is turned off. The introduction of downconverting material with long‐persistent luminescence in PSCs not only represents a new strategy to improve PCE and light stability by photoconversion from UV to visible light but also provides a new paradigm for solar energy storage.     

Progress of Surface Science Studies on ABX3‐Based Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

ABX₃ type metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have shown efficiencies over 25%, rocketing toward their theoretical limit. To gain the full potential of PSCs relies on the understanding of the device working mechanisms and recombination, the material quality, and the match of energy levels in the device stacks. In this review, the importance of designing PSCs from the viewpoint of surface/interface science studies is presented. For this purpose, recent case studies are discussed to demonstrate how probing of local heterogeneities (e.g., grains, grain boundaries, atomic structure, etc.) in perovskites by surface science techniques can help correlate material properties and PSC device performance. At the solar cell device level with active areas larger than millimeter scale, the ensemble average measurement techniques can characterize the overall average properties of perovskite films as well as their adjacent layers and provide clues to understand better the solar cell parameters. How generation and healing of electronic defects in perovskite films limit the device efficiency, reproducibility, and stability, and induce the time‐dependent transient behavior in the current‐voltage curves are also the central focus of this review. On the basis of these studies, strategies to further improve efficiency and stability, as well as reducing hysteresis are presented.     

Morphology Controlling of All‐Inorganic Perovskite at Low Temperature for Efficient Rigid and Flexible Solar Cells

All‐inorganic cesium lead halide (CsPbX₃) perovskites have emerged as promising photovoltaic materials owing to their superior thermal stability compared to traditional organic–inorganic hybrid counterparts. However, the CsPbX₃ perovskites generally need to be prepared at high‐temperature, which restricts their application in multilayer or flexible solar cells. Herein, the formation of CsPbX₃ perovskites at room‐temperature (RT) induced by dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) coordination is reported. It is further found that a RT solvent (DMSO) annealing (RTSA) treatment is valid to control the perovskite crystallization dynamics, leading to uniform and void‐free films, and consequently a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.4% in the device indium tin oxide (ITO)/NiO _x /RT‐CsPbI₂Br/C₆₀/Bathocuproine (BCP)/Ag, which is, as far as it is known, the first report of RT solution‐processed CsPbX₃‐based perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Moreover, the efficiency can be boosted up to 10.4% by postannealing the RTSA‐treated perovskite film at an optimal temperature of 120 °C. Profiting from the moderate temperature, flexible PSCs are also demonstrated with a maximum PCE of 7.3% for the first time. These results may stimulate further development of all‐inorganic CsPbX₃ perovskites and their application in flexible electronics.     

Interface‐Modification‐Induced Gradient Energy Band for Highly Efficient CsPbIBr2 Perovskite Solar Cells

Inorganic cesium lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have received enormous attention due to their excellent stability compared with that of their organic–inorganic counterparts. However, the lack of optimization strategies leads the inorganic PSCs to suffer from low efficiency arising from significant recombination. To overcome this dilemma, a surface modification of the electron transport layer (ETL)/perovskite interface is undertaken by using SmBr₃ to improve the crystallization and morphology of the perovskite layer for enhanced ETL/perovskite interface interaction. Encouragingly, a gradient energy band is created at the interface with an outstanding hole blocking effect. As a result, both the charge recombination occurring at the interface and the nonradiative recombination inside the perovskite are suppressed, and, simultaneously, the charge extraction is improved successfully. Therefore, the power conversion efficiency of the CsPbIBr₂ PSCs is increased to as high as 10.88% under one sun illumination, which is 30% higher than its counterparts without the modification. It is logically inferred that this valuable optimization strategy can be extended to other analogous structures and materials.     

Inorganic Halide Perovskite Solar Cells: Progress and Challenges

All‐inorganic perovskite semiconductors have recently drawn increasing attention owing to their outstanding thermal stability. Although all‐inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved significant progress in recent years, they still fall behind their prototype organic–inorganic counterparts owing to severe energy losses. Therefore, there is considerable interest in further improving the performance of all‐inorganic PSCs by synergic optimization of perovskite films and device interfaces. This review article provides an overview of recent progress in inorganic PSCs in terms of lead‐based and lead‐free composition. The physical properties of all‐inorganic perovskite semiconductors as well as the hole/electron transporting materials are discussed to unveil the important role of composition engineering and interface modification. Finally, a discussion of the prospects and challenges for all‐inorganic PSCs in the near future is presented.     

SrTiO3/Al2O3‐Graphene Electron Transport Layer for Highly Stable and Efficient Composites‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells with 20.6% Efficiency

For practical use of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) the instability issues of devices, attributed to degradation of perovskite molecules by moisture, ions migration, and thermal‐ and light‐instability, have to be solved. Herein, highly efficient and stable PSCs based on perovskite/Ag‐reduced graphene oxide (Ag‐rGO) and mesoporous Al₂O₃/graphene (mp‐AG) composites are reported. The mp‐AG composite is conductive with one‐order of magnitude higher mobility than mp‐TiO₂ and used for electron transport layer (ETL). Compared to the mp‐TiO₂ ETL based cells, the champion device based on perovskite/Ag‐rGO and SrTiO₃/mp‐AG composites shows overall a best performance (i.e., V_OC = 1.057 V, J_SC = 25.75 mA cm^?2, fill factor (FF) = 75.63%, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) = 20.58%). More importantly, the champion device without encapsulation exhibits not only remarkable thermal‐ and photostability but also long‐term stability, retaining 97–99% of the initial values of photovoltaic parameters and sustaining ≈93% of initial PCE over 300 d under ambient conditions.     

Barrier Designs in Perovskite Solar Cells for Long‐Term Stability

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted much attention in the past decade and their power conversion efficiency has been rapidly increasing to 25.2%, which is comparable with commercialized solar cells. Currently, the long‐term stability of PSCs remains as a major bottleneck impeding their future commercial applications. Beyond strengthening the perovskite layer itself and developing robust external device encapsulation/packaging technology, integration of effective barriers into PSCs has been recognized to be of equal importance to improve the whole device’s long‐term stability. These barriers can not only shield the critical perovskite layer and other functional layers from external detrimental factors such as heat, light, and H₂O/O₂, but also prevent the undesired ion/molecular diffusion/volatilization from perovskite. In addition, some delicate barrier designs can simultaneously improve the efficiency and stability. In this review article, the research progress on barrier designs in PSCs for improving their long‐term stability is reviewed in terms of the barrier functions, locations in PSCs, and material characteristics. Regarding specific barriers, their preparation methods, chemical/photoelectronic/mechanical properties, and their role in device stability, are further discussed. On the basis of these accumulative efforts, predictions for the further development of effective barriers in PSCs are provided at the end of this review.     

Precursor Engineering for Ambient‐Compatible Antisolvent‐Free Fabrication of High‐Efficiency CsPbI2Br Perovskite Solar Cells

High temperature stable inorganic CsPbX₃ (X: I, Br, or mixed halides) perovskites with their bandgap tailored by tuning the halide composition offer promising opportunities in the design of ideal top cells for high‐efficiency tandem solar cells. Unfortunately, the current high‐efficiency CsPbX₃ perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are prepared in vacuum, a moisture‐free glovebox or other low‐humidity conditions due to their poor moisture stability. Herein, a new precursor system (HCOOCs, HPbI₃, and HPbBr₃) is developed to replace the traditional precursors (CsI, PbI₂, and PbBr₂) commonly used for solar cells of this type. Both the experiments and calculations reveal that a new complex (HCOOH?Cs⁺) is generated in this precursor system. The new complex is not only stable against aging in humid air ambient at 91% relative humidity, but also effectively slows the perovskite crystallization, making it possible to eliminate the popular antisolvent used in the perovskite CsPbI₂Br film deposition. The CsPbI₂Br PSCs based on the new precursor system achieve a champion efficiency of 16.14%, the highest for inorganic PSCs prepared in ambient air conditions. Meanwhile, high air stability is demonstrated for an unencapsulated CsPbI₂Br PSC with 92% of the original efficiency remaining after more than 800 h aging in ambient air.     

Surface Electronic Modification of Perovskite Thin Film with Water‐Resistant Electron Delocalized Molecules for Stable and Efficient Photovoltaics

Although the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is close to crystalline silicon solar cells, the instability of perovskite, especially in humid condition, still hinders its commercialization. As an effective method to improve their stability, surface functionalization, by using hydrophobic molecules, has been extensively investigated, but usually accompanied with the loss of device efficiencies owing to their intrinsic electrical insulation. In this work, for the first time, it is demonstrated that 3‐alkylthiophene‐based hydrophobic molecules can be used as both water‐resistant and interface‐modified layers, which could simultaneously enhance both stability and performance significantly. Benefitting from their unique structures of thiophene rings, the π‐electrons are highly delocalized and thus enhance the charge transfer and collection at the interface. The device based on 3‐hexylthiophene treatment exhibits a champion energy conversion efficiency of 19.89% with a dramatic 10% enhancement compared with the pristine one (18.08%) of Cs_0.05 FA_0.81 MA_0.14 PbBr_0.45 I_2.55‐based PSCs. More importantly, the degradation of the long‐term efficiency of unsealed device is less than 20% in Cs_0.05 FA_0.81 MA_0.14 PbBr_0.45I_2.55‐based PSCs after more than 700 h storage in air. This finding provides an avenue for further improvement of both the efficiency and stability of PSCs.     

UV‐Inert ZnTiO3 Electron Selective Layer for Photostable Perovskite Solar Cells

Although planar‐structured perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have power conversion efficiencies exceeding 24%, the poor photostability, especially with ultraviolet irradiance (UV) severely limits commercial application. The most commonly‐used TiO₂ electron selective layer has a strong photocatalytic effect on perovskite/TiO₂ interface when TiO₂ is excited by UV light. Here a UV‐inert ZnTiO₃ is reported as the electron selective layer in planar PSCs. ZnTiO₃ is a perovskite‐structured semiconductor with excellent chemical stability and poor photocatalysis. Solar cells are fabricated with a structure of indium doped tin oxide (ITO)/ZnTiO₃/Cs_0.05FA_0.81MA_0.14PbI_2.55Br_0.45/Sprio‐MeOTAD/Au. The champion device exhibits a stabilized power conversion efficiency of 19.8% with improved photostability. The device holds 90% of its initial efficiency after 100 h of UV soaking (365 nm, 8 mW cm^?2), compared with 55% for TiO₂‐based devices. This work provides a new class of electron selective materials with excellent UV stability in perovskite solar cell applications.     

In Situ Study of Purified Phase Transition Path for α-FAPbI3 Crystallization

Phase transition during annealing in the two-step sequential deposition has drawn intensive attention as its significance in fabricating superior perovskite films. However, previous works have not paid enough attention to the importance of the purified phase transition path in the crystallization process. Herein, different from the mixed paths in the conventional cognition, purified phase transition path for α-FAPbI₃ crystallization is achieved by introducing dimethylurea (DMU) into lead iodide (PbI₂) precursor solution. The multifunctional molecule is found to design a penetrable porous PbI₂ film and fundamentally regulate the perovskite crystallization by forming single phase transition path via the complete δ-phase during annealing of perovskite. The role of DMU in purified transition path for α-FAPbI₃ crystallization is unraveled with in situ photoluminescence and grazing incidence wide-angle x-ray scattering (GIWAXS) investigation. The crystal quality of perovskite films is significantly improved, resulting in single crystal-like film. The best-performing perovskite solar cells (PSCs) deliver a power conversion efficiency of 24.75%, resulting from the higher FF of 83.25% and an improved long-term stability up to 3600 h. This work highlights the importance of purified phase transition path for the superior crystal quality toward high-performance perovskite photovoltaics.     

Surface Engineering of TiO2 ETL for Highly Efficient and Hysteresis‐Less Planar Perovskite Solar Cell (21.4%) with Enhanced Open‐Circuit Voltage and Stability

Interfacial studies and band alignment engineering on the electron transport layer (ETL) play a key role for fabrication of high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, an amorphous layer of SnO₂ (a‐SnO₂) between the TiO₂ ETL and the perovskite absorber is inserted and the charge transport properties of the device are studied. The double‐layer structure of TiO₂ compact layer (c‐TiO₂) and a‐SnO₂ ETL leads to modification of interface energetics, resulting in improved charge collection and decreased carrier recombination in PSCs. The optimized device based on a‐SnO₂/c‐TiO₂ ETL shows a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.4% as compared to 19.33% for c‐TiO₂ based device. Moreover, the modified device demonstrates a maximum open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 1.223 V with 387 mV loss in potential, which is among the highest reported value for PSCs with negligible hysteresis. The stability results show that the device on c‐TiO₂/a‐SnO₂ retains about 91% of its initial PCE value after 500 h light illumination, which is higher than pure c‐TiO₂ (67%) based devices. Interestingly, using a‐SnO₂/c‐TiO₂ ETL the PCE loss was only 10% of initial value under continuous UV light illumination after 30 h, which is higher than that of c‐TiO₂ based device (28% PCE loss).     

Incorporating CsF into the PbI2 Film for Stable Mixed Cation‐Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

Adding a small amount of CsI into mixed cation‐halide perovskite film via a one‐step method has been demonstrated as an excellent strategy for high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the one‐step method generally relies on an antisolvent washing process, which is hard to control and not suitable for fabricating large‐area devices. Here, CsF is employed and Cs is incorporated into perovskite film via a two‐step method. It is revealed that CsF can effectively diffuse into the PbI₂ seed film, and drastically enhances perovskite crystallization, leading to high‐quality Cs‐doped perovskite film with a very long photoluminescence carrier lifetime (1413 ns), remarkable light stability, thermal stability, and humidity stability. The fabricated PSCs show power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 21%, and they are highly thermally stable: in the aging test at 60 °C for 300 h, 96% of the original PCE remains. The CsF incorporation process provides a new avenue for stable high‐performance PSCs.