Electron Diffusion Length Effect on Direction of Irradiance in Transparent FAPbBr Perovskite Solar Cells.

Transparent photovoltaics for building integration represent a promising approach for renewable energy deployment. These devices require transparent electrodes to manage transmittance and to ensure proper cell operation. In this study, transparent FAPbBr-based perovskite solar cells optimized via a passivation treatment were demonstrated with average visible transmittance values above 60% and light utilization efficiencies up to 5.

Physical and chemical properties and degradation of MAPbBr films on transparent substrates.

To date, the potential exploitation of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) in photovoltaic technologies has been significantly hampered by their poor environmental stability. HOIP degradation can be triggered by conventional operational environments, with excessive heating and exposure to oxygen and moisture significantly reducing the performances of HOIP-based solar cells. An imperative need emerges for a thorough investigation on the impact of these factors on the HOIP stability.

Direct detection of minimum ionizing charged particles in a perovskite single crystal detector with single particle sensitivity.

We report the detection of high energy electrons of some hundreds of MeV, crossing a methylammonium lead bromide single crystal device with sensitivity down to a single electron. In the device, the released energy is close to the energy released by minimum-ionizing particles. This is the first demonstration of a perovskite-based device that can be used for tracking and counting minimum-ionizing charged particles.

Metal-Halide Perovskite Submicrometer-Thick Films for Ultra-Stable Self-Powered Direct X-Ray Detectors.

Metal-halide perovskites are revolutionizing the world of X-ray detectors, due to the development of sensitive, fast, and cost-effective devices. Self-powered operation, ensuring portability and low power consumption, has also been recently demonstrated in both bulk materials and thin films. However, the signal stability and repeatability under continuous X-ray exposure has only been tested up to a few hours, often reporting degradation of the detection performance.

Flexible, Transparent, and Bifacial Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules Using the Wide-Band Gap FAPbBr Perovskite Absorber.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) offer impressive performance and flexibility, thanks to their simple, low-temperature deposition methods. Their band gap tunability allows for a wide range of applications, transitioning from opaque to transparent devices. This study introduces the first flexible, bifacial PSCs using the FAPbBr perovskite.

Signatures of Polaron Dynamics in Photoexcited MAPbBr by Infrared Spectroscopy.

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) have attracted considerable attention in the past years as photoactive materials for low-cost, high-performance photovoltaics. Polaron formation through electron-phonon coupling has been recognized as the leading mechanism governing charge carrier transport and recombination in HOIPs. In this work, two types of MAPbBr film samples deposited on different substrates (transparent insulating SrTiO and a heterostructure mimicking a functioning photovoltaic cell) were photoexcited with above-bandgap radiation at 450 nm, and the effects of illumination on the sample were analyzed in the infrared region.

Semitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells with Ultrathin Protective Buffer Layers.

Semitransparent perovskite solar cells (ST-PSCs) are increasingly important in a range of applications, including top cells in tandem devices and see-through photovoltaics. Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are commonly used as transparent electrodes, with sputtering being the preferred deposition method. However, this process can damage exposed layers, affecting the electrical performance of the devices.

Degradation and Self-Healing of FAPbBr Perovskite under Soft-X-Ray Irradiation.

The extensive use of perovskites as light absorbers calls for a deeper understanding of the interaction of these materials with light. Here, the evolution of the chemical and optoelectronic properties of formamidinium lead tri-bromide (FAPbBr ) films is tracked under the soft X-ray beam of a high-brilliance synchrotron source by photoemission spectroscopy and micro-photoluminescence. Two contrasting processes are at play during the irradiation.

Holistic Approach toward a Damage-Less Sputtered Indium Tin Oxide Barrier Layer for High-Stability Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules.

The commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) requires the development of long-term, highly operational-stable devices. An efficient barrier layer plays a key role in improving the device stability of planar PSCs. Here, we focus on the use of sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) as a barrier layer to stop major degradations.

Optically Transparent Gold Nanoparticles for DSSC Counter-Electrode: An Electrochemical Characterization.

A gold nanoparticles transparent electrode was realized by chemical reduction. This work aims to compare the transparent gold nanoparticles electrode with a more commonly utilized gold-film-coated electrode in order to investigate its potential use as counter-electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A series of DSSC devices, utilizing I/I and Co(III)/(II) polypyridine redox mediators [Co(dtb)3]/; dtb = 4,4'ditert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine)], were evaluated.

The Golden Fig: A Plasmonic Effect Study of Organic-Based Solar Cells.

An optimization work on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on both artificial and natural dyes was carried out by a fine synthesis work embedding gold nanoparticles in a TiO semiconductor and perfecting the TiO particle sizes of the scattering layer. Noble metal nanostructures are known for the surface plasmon resonance peculiarity that reveals unique properties and has been implemented in several fields such as sensing, photocatalysis, optical antennas and PV devices. By embedding gold nanoparticles in the mesoporous TiO layer and adding a scattering layer, we were able to boost the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 10.

Light-Stable Methylammonium-Free Inverted Flexible Perovskite Solar Modules on PET Exceeding 10.5% on a 15.7 cm Active Area.

Perovskite solar modules (PSMs) have been attracting the photovoltaic market, owing to low manufacturing costs and process versatility. The employment of flexible substrates gives the chance to explore new applications and further increase the fabrication throughput. However, the present state-of-the-art of flexible perovskite solar modules (FPSMs) does not show any data on light-soaking stability, revealing that the scientific community is still far from the potential marketing of the product.

Progress, highlights and perspectives on NiO in perovskite photovoltaics.

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of NiO based perovskite solar cells has recently hit a record 22.1% with a hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite composition and a PCE above 15% in a fully inorganic configuration was achieved. Moreover, NiO processing is a mature technology, with different industrially attractive processes demonstrated in the last few years.

Air-Processed Infrared-Annealed Printed Methylammonium-Free Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules Incorporating Potassium-Doped Graphene Oxide as an Interlayer.

The use of solution processes to fabricate perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represents a winning strategy to reduce capital expenditure, increase the throughput, and allow for process flexibility needed to adapt PVs to new applications. However, the typical fabrication process for PSC development to date is performed in an inert atmosphere (nitrogen), usually in a glovebox, hampering the industrial scale-up. In this work, we demonstrate, for the first time, the use of double-cation perovskite (forsaking the unstable methylammonium (MA) cation) processed in ambient air by employing potassium-doped graphene oxide (GO-K) as an interlayer, between the mesoporous TiO and the perovskite layer and using infrared annealing (IRA).

Easy Strategy to Enhance Thermal Stability of Planar PSCs by Perovskite Defect Passivation and Low-Temperature Carbon-Based Electrode.

Organic-inorganic lead halide perovskite has recently emerged as an efficient absorber material for solution process photovoltaic (PV) technology, with certified efficiency exceeding 25%. The development of low-temperature (LT) processing is a challenging topic for decreasing the energy payback time of perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology. In this context, the LT planar n-i-p architecture meets all the requirements in terms of efficiency, scalability, and processability.

Rational Design of Photo-Electrochemical Hybrid Devices Based on Graphene and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Light-Harvesting Proteins.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been highlighted as the promising alternative to generate clean energy based on low pay-back time materials. These devices have been designed to mimic solar energy conversion processes from photosynthetic organisms (the most efficient energy transduction phenomenon observed in nature) with the aid of low-cost materials. Recently, light-harvesting complexes (LHC) have been proposed as potential dyes in DSSCs based on their higher light-absorption efficiencies as compared to synthetic dyes.

Fabrication and Morphological Characterization of High-Efficiency Blade-Coated Perovskite Solar Modules.

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 5 × 5 to 10 × 10 cm substrate area is reported by blade coating both the CHNHPbI perovskite and spiro-OMeTAD layers.

Perovskite-Polymer Blends Influencing Microstructures, Nonradiative Recombination Pathways, and Photovoltaic Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells.

Solar cells based on organic-inorganic halide perovskites are now leading the photovoltaic technologies because of their high power conversion efficiency. Recently, there have been debates on the microstructure-related defects in metal halide perovskites (grain size, grain boundaries, etc.) and a widespread view is that large grains are a prerequisite to suppress nonradiative recombination and improve photovoltaic performance, although opinions against it also exist.

Anthocyanic pigments from elicited in vitro grown shoot cultures of Vaccinium corymbosum L., cv. Brigitta Blue, as photosensitizer in natural dye-sensitized solar cells (NDSSC).

We investigated the effect on anthocyanins and total phenols content and antioxidant capacity of in vitro shoot cultures of Vaccinium corymbosum L., cv. Brigitta Blue, grown on an eliciting medium supplied with 10 μM naphthalene acetic acid, in combination with reduced content of salts and organics in respect to the basal medium.

High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cell Based on Poly(3-Hexylthiophene): Influence of Molecular Weight and Mesoscopic Scaffold Layer.

Here, we investigated the effect of the molecular weight (MW) of poly 3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) hole-transport material on the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We found that by increasing the MW the photovoltaic performances of the cells are enhanced leading to an improvement of the overall efficiency. P3HT-based PSCs with a MW of 124 kDa can achieve an overall average efficiency of 16.

Elemental Mapping of Perovskite Solar Cells by Using Multivariate Analysis: An Insight into Degradation Processes.

The technology of perovskite-based solar cells is evolving rapidly, reaching certified power conversion efficiency values now exceeding 20 %. One of the main drawbacks hindering progress in the field is the long-term stability of the cells: the mixed halide perovskites used in most devices are sensitive to humidity and degrade on a timescale varying from hours to weeks. The degradation mechanisms are poorly understood, but likely arise from combined physical and chemical modifications at the nanometer scale.

Solid state perovskite solar modules by vacuum-vapor assisted sequential deposition on Nd:YVO₄ laser patterned rutile TiO₂ nanorods.

The past few years have witnessed remarkable progress in solution-processed methylammonium lead halide (CH3NH3PbX3, X = halide) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with reported photoconversion efficiency (η) exceeding 20% in laboratory-scale devices and reaching up to 13% in their large area perovskite solar modules (PSMs). These devices mostly employ mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) as an electron transport layer (ETL) which provides a scaffold on which the perovskite semiconductor can grow. However, limitations exist which are due to trap-limited electron transport and non-complete pore filling.

Interface and Composition Analysis on Perovskite Solar Cells.

Organometal halide (hybrid) perovskite solar cells have been fabricated following four different deposition procedures and investigated in order to find correlations between the solar cell characteristics/performance and their structure and composition as determined by combining depth-resolved imaging with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The interface quality is found to be strongly affected by the perovskite deposition procedure, and in particular from the environment where the conversion of the starting precursors into the final perovskite is performed (air, nitrogen, or vacuum). The conversion efficiency of the precursors into the hybrid perovskite layer is compared between the different solar cells by looking at the ToF-SIMS intensities of the characteristic molecular fragments from the perovskite and the precursor materials.

Vertical TiO2 Nanorods as a Medium for Stable and High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Modules.

Perovskite solar cells employing CH3NH3PbI3-xClx active layers show power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 20% in single cells and 13% in large area modules. However, their operational stability has often been limited due to degradation of the CH3NH3PbI3-xClx active layer. Here, we report a perovskite solar module (PSM, best and av.