Perovskite applications

Researchers from AMOLF have used perovskite semiconductors to develop a simple spray test to detect the presence of lead. A lead-containing surface shines bright green when it is sprayed with the test, which is said to be a 1,000 times more sensitive than existing tests and the researchers found no false positive or false negative results. 

"We have hijacked the technology of perovskite semiconductors and used it in a widely deployable lead test. Nobody in this discipline had ever thought of that," says Lukas Helmbrecht, researcher at the group Self-Organizing Matter led by Wim Noorduin at AMOLF. "We are very pleased with these results," says Noorduin. "It is a really cool project and it is quite rare for fundamental research to literally impact the entire world with an application."

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER-TVM), Germany's University of Potsdam and The Chinese University of Hong Kong have addressed an important aspect in the field of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) – the exact role of excess lead iodide content within the perovskite layer. While an optimal amount of excess lead iodide contributes to improved grain boundary passivation and blocking of minority charge carriers, leading to the development of highly efficient PSCs, the photo-stability of PSCs with surplus lead iodide remains a major concern. This concern stems from the catalytic role excess lead iodide can play in the degradation of PSCs under illumination.

The issue often arises during the fabrication of perovskite films using a two-step spin coating method, where the conversion of lead iodide films to perovskite is hindered due to challenges in controlling the reaction between lead iodide films and cationic precursor solutions. Various modifications of the two-step approach are presented in the literature, each aiming to achieve a near full conversion of lead iodide films into perovskite when exposed to cationic precursor solutions.

GCL Photoelectric Materials (GCL Perovskite), a subsidiary of GCL Tech, has announced that it was able to attain a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 18.04% on a perovskite single-junction solar module, with dimensions measuring 1,000mm by 2,000mm. It was reported that this result was officially tested and confirmed by the China National Institute of Metrology.

GCL Perovskite team has been working on achieving this objective of exceeding the anticipated conversion efficiency of 18% for standard-sized perovskite modules, and the team will now focus on conducting research and development for the next-generation perovskite tandem modules.

Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and of two Helmholtz platforms—Helmholtz Imaging at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Helmholtz AI—have found a way to predict the quality of the perovskite layers and consequently that of the resulting solar cells. Using machine learning and new methods in artificial intelligence (AI), it is possible to assess their quality from variations in light emission already in the manufacturing process.

"Manufacturing these high-grade, multi-crystalline thin layers without any deficiencies or holes using low-cost and scalable methods is one of the biggest challenges," says tenure-track professor Ulrich W. Paetzold who conducts research at the Institute of Microstructure Technology and the Light Technology Institute of KIT.

Tokyo Institute of Technology researchers have shown that donor doping into a mother material with disordered intrinsic oxygen vacancies, instead of the widely used strategy of acceptor doping into a material without oxygen vacancies, can greatly enhance the conductivity and stability of perovskite-type proton conductors at intermediate and low temperatures of 250–400 ℃, (e.g. 10 mS/cm at 320 ℃). This approach provides a new design direction for proton conductors for fuel cells and electrolysis cells.

Protonic ceramic (or proton conducting) fuel/electrolysis cells (PCFCs/PCECs) are a strong contender for future sustainable energy technologies. These devices can directly convert chemical energy into electricity and vice versa with zero emissions at low or intermediate temperatures, making them an attractive option for many emerging applications such as next-generation distributed power sources. In addition, unlike other types of fuel cells and electrolysers, the PCFCs/PCECs do not require precious metal catalysts or expensive, heat-resistant alloys.

Researchers from Nanjing University and University of Electronic Science and Technology of China have designed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell based on a wide bandgap perovskite top cell relying on a two-dimensional/three-dimensional heterostructure and a narrow bandgap bottom cell.

Schematic of the solar cell structure and the corresponding cross-sectional SEM image of an all-perovskite tandem solar cell. Image from Nature Communications

The research group used a generic 3D-to-2D perovskite conversion approach to fabricate the top cell. They first deposited a lead-halide perovskite (methylammonium lead iodide - MAPbI₃) layer by a hybrid evaporation/solution method and then transformed the layer into a 2D structure via a long-chain ammonium ligand.

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Peking University and  Soochow University have developed a polycrystalline silicon tunnelling recombination layer for perovskite/tunnel oxide passivating contact (TOPCon) silicon tandem solar cells (TSCs), which has reportedly achieved excellent efficiency and high stability.  

According to the team, previous efforts to increase device efficiency have mainly focused on improving the top sub-cell, leaving much room for improvement. The recombination layer, which serves as the electrical contact between the top and bottom sub-cells, plays a critical role in further efficiency progress. In this study, the researchers developed a polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) tunnelling recombination layer that was incorporated into a perovskite/TOPCon silicon tandem cell. Through a two-step annealing strategy, the diffusion of boron and phosphorus dopants could be effectively restrained, granting the device excellent passivation and contact performance.

Researchers at Australia's University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, Germany's Forschungszentrum Jülich, China's Southern University of Science and Technology ans Slovenia's University of Ljubljana have developed a perovskite-silicon solar cell design using a top perovskite PV device with an energy bandgap of 1.67 eV and a self-assembly monolayer based on carbazole. The tandem cell achieved a higher efficiency compared to counterparts without the monolayer and passed the IEC 61215 standard thermal cycling test.

The device is intended for applications as a top cell in perovskite-silicon tandem solar devices, where the upper cells must have a high energy bandgap to achieve output current matching. These top cells, however, suffer from a higher bandgap-voltage offset, due to non-radiative recombination and energetic misalignment between the perovskite and charge-selective layers. To address this issue, the team utilized a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) based on carbazole, which acts as an effective hole-selective layer (HSL). These SAMs were previously utilized in experimental solar cells and are commonly developed through a molecular glue added during processing in order to dramatically improve adhesion between the light-absorbing perovskite layer and the electron transport layer.

Researchers at China's Wuhan University assume that the practical use of all-perovskite tandem solar cells is hampered by the subpar performance and stability issues associated with mixed tin–lead (Sn–Pb) narrow-bandgap perovskite subcells. In their recent study, they focus on these narrow-bandgap subcells and develop an all-in-one doping strategy for them. 

The scientists introduce aspartate hydrochloride (AspCl) into both the bottom poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)–poly(styrene sulfonate) and bulk perovskite layers, followed by another AspCl posttreatment. They show that a single AspCl additive can effectively passivate defects, reduce Sn⁴⁺ impurities and shift the Fermi energy level. 

Researchers at China's Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HIPS), University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Hainan University, Germany's IEK5-Photovoltaics and University of Duisburg-Essen have proposed a strategy to enhance the performance of perovskite solar cells through the creation of a robust connection between different layers of the solar cell, using a molecular bridge made of ammonium cations.

The term 'fill factor' (FF) represents the capacity of a solar cell to deliver maximum current under optimal conditions. As limitations associated with FF still pose challenges, any advancements in this area are highly sought after. To address these limitations, the team focused on optimizing the bottom interface of the solar cell. They developed a strategy to redistribute localized electrostatic potential by employing ammonium cations as a molecular bridge with various degrees of substitution.