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Finding remarkable hole-transporting materials (HTMs) for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is crucial but challenging, and rationally regulating the acceptor structure is one of the most effective strategies. In this work, a novel electron-withdrawing moiety of thiadiazolophenanthroline (TPT) was first exploited as the acceptor structure of donor–acceptor–donor (D–A–D)-type HTMs. The isolated molecular and interfacial properties of TPT-based HTMs (SM-4) were methodically investigated by comparing with the simulated results of benzothiadiazole (BT, SM-1) and phenanthrothiadiazole (PT, SM-2) acceptors. Theoretical simulations manifest that SM-4 displays a more negative HOMO energy and larger hole mobility than SM-1 and SM-2. The higher mobility of SM-4 is derived from the larger hole transfer integral due to easier intermolecular orbital overlap. Moreover, the better optical excitation property, smaller exciton binding energy, and profitable solubility and stability are shown for SM-4. Furthermore, interfacial calculations reveal that advantageous photon-induced excitation dissociation can be anticipated at the interface because of greater interfacial charge redistribution and more suitable energy levels. Overall, our simulations suggest that the designed TPT-based acceptor molecule holds great promise as a potential HTM candidate, providing support for more efficient PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) emerge as a leading next‐generation photovoltaic (PV) technology, with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) reaching 26.7% for single cells and 36.1% for hybrid tandem cells. As commercialization progresses, the inverted (p–i–n) structure of PSCs gains attention due to its enhanced thermal stability, lower moisture sensitivity, and reduced processing temperatures compared to the conventional (n–i–p) structure. However, sustainability concerns, particularly regarding production costs and end‐of‐life disposal, become increasingly critical. Recycling PSCs provides a viable solution to these challenges by recovering valuable indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates, which significantly impact material costs. Existing recycling methods for conventional PSCs often use toxic solvents like chlorobenzene (CB) and N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), posing environmental and health risks. This study introduces an eco‐friendly recycling process for ITO‐based inverted PSCs using acetone as a green solvent. The results show that recycled ITO substrates maintain their physical, electrical, and optical properties without significant degradation in PSC performance, even after multiple recycling cycles. This green solvent‐based approach not only preserves device efficiency but also supports future environmental regulations, highlighting its potential in promoting sustainable and cost‐effective PV technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been rapidly developed in recent years due to their excellent photovoltaic performance, which has been actively promoted by many researchers. However, interfacial non-radiative compounding hinders further improvement of their device performance. Buried interface modification strategies can minimize the non-radiative compounding within the interface, resulting in highly efficient and stable PSCs. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the development of multiple classes of materials applied to buried interface engineering for the preparation of highly efficient and stable PSCs, including the development of organic, inorganic, and polymeric materials. The important role of buried interfaces in regulating energy alignment, passivating surface defects, modulating morphology, etc. have been discussed. Furthermore, we propose strategies to reduce nonradiative composites at interfaces. Finally, potential developments and challenges of buried interfaces for high performance stabilized PSCs are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fullerene (C60) and its derivatives are the most prevalent and efficient electron transport materials (ETMs) for state‐of‐the‐art perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Benefiting from the high performance, simple synthesis, and easy availability of raw materials, fulleropyrrolidine derivatives (FDs) are potential next‐generation ETM alternatives to currently used fullerene materials. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of FDs still lags far behind that of methanofullerene derivatives such as [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Moreover, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this work, six FD ETMs are designed and synthesized, i.e., CN‐TPAX (X = H, Me, OMe, Cl, Br, I), for p‐i‐n PSCs, and obtained a champion PCE of over 25% for the CN‐TPACl ETM, outperforming all reported FDs until now. Subsequently, their performance is systematically characterized in terms of molecular characteristics, including single‐crystal structure, electronic properties, film formability/morphology, and electron dynamics, which helped reveal the terminal effects of FD ETMs on the molecular characteristics and photovoltaic performance of PSCs. This approach clarified the structure–performance relationships between the FDs and the resulting devices, highlighting the importance of the terminal design of fullerene ETMs for high‐performance PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide‐bandgap (WBG) (Eg ≥ 1.65 eV) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) made from mixed‐halide strategy experience severe photo‐induced halide segregation, leading to detrimental effects on the long‐term operational stability. Developing single‐halogen WBG perovskites can be the fundamental solution to prevent halide segregation. In this review, the recent advances in single‐halogen WBG PSCs, focusing on the cesium (Cs)‐based pure‐iodide (I) perovskite and all the pure‐bromine (Br) perovskite species is summarized. A detailed discussion is conducted on the crystallization dynamics of different perovskite systems. The key challenge for all single‐halogen WBG PSCs is the huge energy loss due to inferior interfacial energy level alignment and high defect density in perovskite films, which greatly hinders efficiency improvement. To this end, it is systematically discuss optimization strategies, including regulating crystallization, passivating defects, achieving aligned energy levels, and eliminating interfacial microstrain, to enhance the photovoltaic performance of solar cells. Furthermore, it is highlighted that Cs‐based pure‐I WBG perovskites encounter significant stability issue due to their low structural tolerance factor, warranting substantial attention. Finally, perspectives are outlined to suggest ways to further advance the development and application of single‐halogen WBG PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has reached an impressive value of 26.1%. While several initiatives such as structural modification and fabrication techniques helped steadily increase the PCE and stability of PSCs in recent years, the incorporation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in PSCs stands out among other innovations and has emerged as a promising path forward to make this technology the front‐runner for realizing next‐generation low‐cost photovoltaic technologies. Owing to their unique physiochemical properties and extraordinary advantages such as large specific surface area and tunable pore structures, incorporating them as/in different functional layers of PSCs endows the devices with extraordinary optoelectronic properties. This article reviews the latest research practices adapted in integrating MOFs and derivative materials into the constituent blocks of PSCs such as photoactive perovskite absorber, electron‐transport layer, hole‐transport layer, and interfacial layer. Notably, a special emphasis is placed on the aspect of stability improvement in PSCs by incorporating MOFs and derivative materials. Also, the potential of MOFs as lead absorbents in PSCs is highlighted. Finally, an outlook on the critical challenges faced and future perspectives for employing MOFs in PSCs in light of the commercialization of PSCs is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent necessity to remove dangerous lead from the commonly used metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) requires the exploration of effective and reliable lead-free perovskite substitutes. In this study, we conduct a performance analysis of Sn-based PSCs incorporating a low-temperature indium sulfide electron transporting layer (ETL) and use SCAPS-1D simulation to evaluate the PSC performance. We investigate multiple parameters that determine the PSC performance, such as the thickness and defect density of the Sn-based perovskite layer, as well as the defect density at the ETL/perovskite interface. The optimization procedure produced outstanding outcomes with maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.57%, 24.03%, and 21.93% for CsSnI3, FASnI3, and MASnI3, respectively. The proposed device structure and parameters could potentially advance the experimental work and provide a new approach for optimizing the construction of Sn-based PSCs, thereby opening up new possibilities for future study in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a novel and powerful approach developed to lower the manufacturing costs of PSCs and make them powerful and cost-effective technology through identifying more efficient and low-cost dopant-free hole-transport materials (HTMs) for PSCs by avoiding the shotgun approach of synthesizing hundreds or thousands of HTMs, fabricate devices and characterize them to identify the best performing candidate(s). With these in mind, the primary objective of this study is to develop a machine learning model extracted from automated-quantitative structure–property relationship (autoQSPR) models that could accurately predict various photovoltaic properties, including power conversion efficiency (PCE), open-circuit photovoltage (VOC), and short-circuit photocurrent (JSC), of dopant-free HTM-based PSCs. High-efficacy AutoQSPR models capable of accurately predicting photovoltaic properties were developed by considering experimental photovoltaic property data sets from dopant-free HTMs used in the fabrication of PSCs with different architectures, e.g., conventional (n–i–p) and inverted (p–i–n), which are fabricated using methyl ammonium lead halides (MALHs) or mixed cation lead halides, were used to develop high efficacy autoQSPR models capable of accurate predictions of photovoltaic properties. The Schrodinger Suite was utilized to build autoQSPR models to predict PCE, VOC, and JSC utilizing different kinds of molecular descriptors such as 2D binary fingerprints, one dimensional (1D), two dimensional (2D), and three dimensional (3D). Notably, 2D binary fingerprint descriptors generate models that outperform 1D, 2D, and 3D molecular descriptors calculated using the well-known PaDEL calculator. The developed autoQSPR models were improved when the PSC configurations were considered and a significant predictive ability (test set Q2 > 0.5) was achieved for all autoQSPR models that involved the use of 2D binary fingerprint descriptors. The model confidence was validated by the utilization of dopant-free HTMs that were not present in the original dataset used to build the models. Furthermore, the most efficient models were used to propose potential HTM candidates to benefit the scientific community and scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical challenge for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is their operational stability. PSCs’ outdoor operation exposes the cells to a combination of stress factors that are difficult to reproduce by indoor testing due to diurnal and seasonal variations. This highlights the need for outdoor testing under operational conditions. The effect of climate conditions on outdoor operational lifetime/ degradation of n‐i‐p PSCs is systematically studied herein. Their lifetime indicators are determined in different seasons, and correlated with the outdoor irradiance and temperatures measured simultaneously. Based on this outdoor measurement analysis and indoor light cycling stability tests, it is suggested that ambient temperatures induce a more significant effect than the irradiance on the PSC's lifetime/ degradation. The study also suggests different roles played by the temperatures during the diurnal light versus dark periods: the day/ light time maximum temperatures have a more significant effect on the long‐term degradation. In contrast, minimum temperatures during the night/ dark cycles significantly affected the diurnal reversible degradation and the initial fast degradation. The results show that the commonly used lifetime indicators T80 and T50 are climate‐dependent, and their use for comparative purposes is valid only if measured in similar climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide‐bandgap (WBG) perovskite solar cells (PSC) have been widely applied in tandem photovoltaics (PV) for various scenarios including indoor, building, and underwater PV. However, the current mainstream WBG PSCs are fabricated by spin‐coating, which is inappropriate for scalable production. Blade‐coating has demonstrated great potential to realize commercial PV panel size at low cost, while till present, only a few efforts have been devoted to blade‐coated WBG PSCs, significantly hampering their efficiency evolvements. Herein, state‐of‐the‐art research progress and major challenges of blade‐coated WBG PSCs are reviewed, with their optimization strategies being summarized into four main categories, such as blading parameter, solvent engineering, additive/dopant, and defect passivation. Film homogenization, defect manipulation, optimized blade coating machines, single‐halide three‐dimensional WBG perovskites, and fabrication on the textured substrate are proposed as five promising directions for future investigations on high‐performance blade‐coated WBG PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor operational stability is a crucial factor limiting the further application of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Organic semiconductor layers can be a powerful means for reinforcing interfaces and inhibiting ion migration. Herein, two hole‐transporting molecules, pDPA‐SFX and mDPA‐SFX, are synthesized with tuned substituent connection sites. The meta‐substituted mDPA‐SFX results in a larger dipole moment, more ordered packing, and better charge mobility than pDPA‐SFX, accompanying with strong interface bonding on perovskite surfaces and suppressed ion motion as well. Importantly, mDPA‐SFX‐based PSCs exhibit an efficiency that has significantly increased from 22.5 % to 24.8 % and a module‐based efficiency of 19.26 % with an active area of 12.95 cm2. The corresponding cell retain 94.8 % of its initial efficiency at maximum power point tracking (MPPT) after 1,000 h (T95=1,000 h). The MPPT T80 lifetime is as long as 2,238 h. This work illustrates that a small degree of structural variation in organic compounds leaves considerable room for developing new HTMs for light stable PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising photovoltaic (PV) technology, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have made significant progress in attaining high PCE, while challenges remain regarding stability and low cost. Conventional PSCs using noble metals (e. g., Au and Ag) as back electrodes and transparent conducting oxides as front electrodes contribute significantly to their high costs. PSCs comprising biomass‐derived materials, such as biocarbon as back electrodes and flexible and transparent cellulosic substrates as front electrodes, offer a promising solution to address these issues. These approaches have the potential to simultaneously improve stability and decrease manufacturing costs, making PSCs closer to commercialization. This review article furnishes a comprehensive overview of recent developments in biocarbon‐based perovskite solar cells (C‐PSCs), focusing on various biomass‐derived biocarbon materials utilized as back electrodes in different C‐PSCs device structures. This article also compiles the advancement of flexible and transparent cellulosic substrate‐based PSCs by highlighting the fundamentals of PSC and C‐PSC architectures, the basics of biomass, and the synthesis of biocarbon. Finally, this review discusses the current challenges and future research directions for optimizing biocarbon materials and cellulosic substrates in PSC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have captured significant interest due to their outstanding stability, cost‐effective fabrication process, and good compatibility with flexible and tandem devices. The presence of bulk and surface defects is key factor in PSCs that cause non‐radiative recombination and degradation. To improve the efficiency and stability of inverted PSCs, a bulk‐to‐surface dual‐passivation strategy is employed by utilizing Oleylamine Iodide (OAmI) as additives and 4‐Fluorobenzylamine Hydroiodide (4‐F‐PMAI) as surface passivating agents. Utilizing OAmI as bulk passivation can enhance the crystallinity of perovskite films and reduce lattice defects. Meanwhile, 4‐F‐PMAI further suppresses non‐radiative recombination and reduces open‐circuit voltage (VOC) loss through bidentate anchoring. Consequently, the dual‐passivation strategy significantly enhances device performance, boosting the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs to 24.26%, with a VOC of 1.15V. Moreover, the unencapsulated PSCs show excellent long‐term stability maintaining over 85% and 90% of the initial efficiency under 85 °C thermal annealing in N2 for 1000 hours and after storage in ambient conditions (RH: 30 ± 5%) for 1000 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving high efficiency over large areas remains a significant bottleneck in commercializing perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Recent advancements in passivation technology, especially using self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) to address buried interface defects, have been instrumental in boosting the efficiency of PSCs. However, SAMs' compactness, uniformity, and wettability are crucial factors influencing the quality of perovskite films. This study presents a buried interface layer based on NiOx/mesoporous Al2O3 sponge as a carrier for SAM solution adsorption, combined with a dip coating process, successfully developing a large‐area preparation technology for SAM layers. The results indicate that the compact SAM layer deposited by this approach effectively passivates buried interface defects on a large scale, while the enhanced wettability of the Al2O3 layer aids in eliminating interfacial voids. The modified PSCs with an active area of 0.09 cm2 achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.46%. The device attains a champion PCE of 22.66%, marking one of the highest efficiencies reported for p‐i‐n PSMs prepared via large‐area coating in mini‐modules (10–200 cm2) under air ambient conditions. Moreover, encapsulated devices retain 93.8% of their initial PCE after 1000 h of continuous operation under one‐sun equivalent intensity at 65 °C in an air environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface energy level alignment modulation and charge carrier transportation play an important role in the device performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, tailored hydrophobic metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are employed as interfacial layers between perovskite absorbers and hole transport layers (HTLs). The tailored MOFs feature abundant carboxylic acid groups capable of bonding with Pb2+ and organic cations, which can effectively passivate interface defects and suppress non‐radiative recombination. Meanwhile, the MOF interfacial layers optimized the energy level alignment between the perovskite and the HTL, further facilitating carrier transportation. Specifically, the CsFAMA‐based PSCs with a bandgap of 1.63 eV attained power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.06% upon modification with MOFs. Additionally, the MOFs‐treated FA‐based PSCs with a bandgap of 1.55 eV achieved a remarkable PCE of 24.81%, accompanied by an outstanding fill factor of 84.3% and a minimal open‐circuit voltage loss of merely 0.386 V. Furthermore, the integration of the MOF interfacial layer substantially improved the moisture stability of the PSCs. The unencapsulated CsFAMA PSCs modified with MOFs retained 91.2% of their initial efficiency after 2500 h of aging under ambient conditions with 40% relative humidity (RH). This work underpins the commercialization of PSCs with diverse bandgaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface modification of transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) with carbazole‐based self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) is an effective method toward the formation of highly efficient hole‐selective contacts, enabling the fabrication of high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the lack of long‐term structural and performance stability of the TCO/SAM/perovskite stack endangers the market entry of PSCs. Here, it is demonstrated that these challenges can be overcome by employing dyes as multi‐functional SAMs, simultaneously facilitating charge transport, passivating interfacial defects, and acting as a “molecular adhesive” layer, preserving structural integrity of the contact stack. Particularly, the surface modification of ITO with a dye (N719) monolayer is shown to create a hole‐selective contact for the fabrication of p–i–n PSCs with power conversion efficiencies reaching 24%. The N719 SAM‐based PSCs have also shown superior stability compared to state‐of‐the‐art PSCs incorporating carbazole SAMs and polyarylamine hole‐selective contacts by preserving ≈90% of their initial PCE under continuous light and thermal stress tests for 1000 h. The robustness of the ITO/N719/perovskite stack is attributed to its low interfacial trap density, UV resilience and strong adhesion capability. These findings place dye SAMs as a promising alternative for improving the performance of next‐generation photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hole‐transporting material (HTMs) are crucial for obtaining the stability and high efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the current state‐of‐the‐art n‐i‐p PSCs relied on the use of 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis(N,N‐di‐p‐methoxyphenylamine)‐9,9′‐spirobifluorene (spiro‐OMeTAD) exhibit inferior intrinsic and ambient stability due to the p‐dopant and hydrophilic Li‐TFSI additive. In this study, a new spiro‐type HTM with a critical quasi‐planar core (Z‐W‐03) is developed to improve both the thermal and ambient stability of PSCs. The results suggest that the planar carbazole structure effectively passivates the trap states compared to the triphenylamine with a propeller‐like conformation in spiro‐OMeTAD. This passivation effect leads to the shallower trap states when the quasi‐planar HTMs interact with the Pb‐dimer. Consequently, the device using Z‐W‐03 achieves a higher Voc of 1.178 V compared to the spiro‐OMeTAD's 1.155 V, resulting in an enhanced efficiency of 24.02 %. In addition, the double‐column π–π stacking of Z‐W‐03 results in high hole mobility (~10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1) even without p‐dopant. Moreover, when the surface interface is modified, the undoped Z‐W‐03 device can achieve an efficiency of nearly 23 %. Compared to the PSCs using spiro‐OMeTAD, those with Z‐W‐03 exhibit enhanced stability under N2 and ambient conditions. This superior performance is attributed to the quasi‐planar core structure and the presence of multiple CH/π and π–π intermolecular stacking in Z‐W‐03. The multiple CH/π and π–π intermolecular contacts of HTMs can improve the hole hopping transport. Therefore, it is imperative to focus on further molecular structure design and optimization of spiro‐type HTMs incorporating quasi‐planar cores and carbazole moieties for the commercialization of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of the methylammonium‐free (MA‐free) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are constantly lagging behind those of the most extensively researched triple cation mixed PSCs due to their subpar perovskite films. Here, two guanidine‐based passivation agents are proposed, that are, sulfaguanidine (S‐Gua) and 1‐acetylguanidine (A‐Gua) that can be applied to optimize the film quality of MA‐free perovskite for minimizing the efficiency discrepancy between the two types of PSCs. Through strong coordination with Pb2+ and hydrogen bonding with formamidinium (FA+), the two passivation additives can reduce bulk defects and suppress non‐radiative recombination, which in turn enhance the charge extraction and transfer efficiency. Consequently, the S‐Gua‐ and A‐Gua‐treated devices achieve PCEs of 24.34% and 23.77%, respectively. Both PCEs are greater than that of the control device (23.03%), and the 24.34% PCE is comparable with that of the best MA‐free inverted PSCs with narrower bandgaps. Moreover, the S‐Gua‐treated devices maintain 89.3% and 82.0% of their initial PCEs after aging for 800 h and heating (85 °C) for 340 h in ambient air without any encapsulation, respectively. This work offers comprehensive insights into the use of guanidine‐based additives to achieve high‐quality perovskite films and subsequently state‐of‐the‐art MA‐free PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐term operational stability remains a big challenge for perovskite solar cells (PSCs), especially under ISOS protocol with high temperature. One key reason lies in the iodine loss issue during PSCs aging. Motived by the reversible iodine‐alkenes reaction, 3‐butenylamine (BEA) based 2D perovskite (BEA)2[PbBr4] is used to construct a functionalized 2D/3D heterojunction in PSCs. (BEA)2[PbBr4] can chemically adsorb photo‐generated iodine species during perovskite degradation through a typical reaction between neutral iodine and terminal alkenes, thus inhibiting iodine loss or diffusion in PSCs. Besides, owing to the reversible reaction nature, these adsorbed iodine species can be partially released slowly under heat conditions, further reacting with and eliminating potential metallic Pb0 defects. The resulting PSCs exhibit a high efficiency of 24.5% with good operational stability even without encapsulation, retaining ≈94% of initial efficiency after MPP tracking for 2000 h at 65 °C with ISOS‐L‐2 protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) is now widely applied at the hole‐selective interface of efficient inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, voids are unavoidable in SAMs due to the rough substrate and the deposition conditions, which lead to direct contact between the active layer and electrode, undermining the efficiency and stability of PSCs. Here, alkylphosphonic acids with different alkyl chain length are post‐assembled to fill the voids, thereby forming a compact po‐SAM layer. By further modifying the head group of alkylphosphonic acids, the efficiency and stability of PSCs are improved due to wetting and passivation. Finally, the po‐SAM layer formed by (2‐Bromoethyl) phosphonic acid and [4‐(3,6‐dimethyl‐9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)butyl] phosphonic acid contributes to a champion device with the power conversion efficiency of 25.16% (certified 24.67%) and improved stability under operation or storage. This work demonstrates the advantages of po‐SAM layer in improving the performance of PSCs, offering ideas for SAM modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐inorganic triiodide cesium lead (CsPbI3) exhibits huge potential in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the high‐temperature crystallization process (≈340 or 180 °C) limits their further development, especially in flexible PSCs. Here, a Cs─I bond weakening approach is proposed to realize the low‐temperature crystallization of CsPbI3 by introducing organic sulfonate of 1‐propylsulfonate‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride (SMCl). SMCl can strongly interact with CsI and weaken the Cs─I bond to dissociate free I− ions for the effective transition of initial PbI2 to [PbI6]4−, which greatly decreases the crystallization temperature of black CsPbI3 to 90 °C. As a result, flexible PSCs are realized with efficiency of 13.86%, which is the highest efficiency of flexible CsPbI3 devices. Besides, SMCl will also help to release the tensile strain and stabilize CsPbI3 phase, leading to good thermal and mechanical stability. Almost no efficiency loss is observed in flexible PSCs after 36000 bending cycles with a curvature radius of 5 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a leading low‐cost photovoltaic technology, achieving power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of up to 26.1%. However, their commercialization is hindered by stability issues and the need for controlled processing environments. Carbon‐electrode‐based PSCs (C‐PSCs) offer enhanced stability and cost‐effectiveness compared to traditional metal‐electrode PSCs, i.e., Au and Ag. However, processing challenges persist, particularly in air conditions where moisture sensitivity poses a significant hurdle. Herein, a novel air processing technique is presented for planar C‐PSCs that incorporates antisolvent vapors, such as chlorobenzene, into a controlled air‐quenching process. This method effectively mitigates moisture‐induced instability, resulting in champion PCEs exceeding 20% and robust stability under ambient conditions. The approach retains 80% of initial efficiency after 30 h of operation at maximum power point without encapsulation. This antisolvent‐mediated air‐quenching technique represents a significant advancement in the scalable production of C‐PSCs, paving the way for future large‐scale deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are usually modified and passivated to improve their performance and stability. The interface modification and bulk doping are the two basic strategies. Fluorine (F)‐containing materials are highly favored because of their unique hydrophobicity and coordination ability. This review discusses the basic characteristics of F, and the basic principles of improving the photovoltaic performance and stability of PSC devices using F‐containing materials. We systematically summarized the latest progress in the application of F‐containing materials to achieve efficient and stable PSCs on several key interface layers. It is believed that this work will afford significant understanding and inspirations toward the future application directions of F‐containing materials in PSCs, and provide profound insights for the development of efficient and stable PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enhancement of the photovoltaic performance upon the aging process at particular environment is often observed in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), particularly for the devices with 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis(N,N‐di(4‐methoxyphenyl)amino)−9,9′‐spirobifluorene (spiro‐OMeTAD) as hole transporting material (HTM). In this work, for the first time the effect of aging the typical n‐i‐p PSCs employing nickel phthalocyanine (coded as Bis‐PF‐Ni) solely as dopant‐free HTM is investigated and as an additive in spiro‐OMeTAD solution. This study reveals that the prolong aging of these devices at dry air condition (RH = 2%, 25 °C) is beneficial for the improvement of their performances. Various bulk and surface characterization techniques are utilized to understand the factors behind the spontaneous efficiency enhancement of the devices after storage. As a result, the changes in properties of the Bis‐PF‐Ni layer are observed and at perovskite/Bis‐PF‐Ni interface, which ultimately improves the charge transport and reduces non‐radiative recombination. In addition, the devices with Bis‐PF‐Ni HTM reveal enhanced long‐term ambient and thermal stability compared to the PSCs based on doped spiro‐OMeTAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While operational stability has evolved to be the primary issue for the practical applications of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the understanding of the origins of device degradation is still limited. Hysteresis is known as a unique and significant feature of PSCs. The hysteresis behavior of the current density-voltage (J–V) curves, governed by the interaction between the evolving ion-induced electric field and the carrier transport/recombination, offers rich and important information about the physical properties of the device. Herein, we propose to establish hysteresis as a diagnostic key to unveil and remedy degradation issues with device physics. With a custom-made ion-incorporated drift-diffusion simulator, we comprehensively investigate the relations between characteristic J–V hysteresis features and critical device issues such as bulk and surface defects, and low mobility of each layer in the PSCs. Ultimately, we derive a fundamental understanding and unveil the origins of the device degradation during the continuous operation of PSCs. This work therefore offers a new way to address and optimize PSC operational stability. The understanding of the origins of device degradation of perovskite solar cells remains limited. Here, the authors establish hysteresis as a diagnostic key to unveil and remedy degradation issues and investigate the relations between characteristic J-V hysteresis features and device deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifacial perovskite solar cells (PSCs) possess a dual light‐absorbing structure, which enables higher power output at lower additional costs. However, the replacement of metal electrodes with transparent ones leads to serious light loss, necessitating a thicker perovskite layer to compensate for this drawback. In this study, the impact of different rubidium halide (RbCl, RbBr, and RbI) additives is systematically investigated on precursor solubility and the quality of micron‐sized perovskite thick films prepared using a two‐step method. It is observed that RbCl exhibited the strongest interactions with PbI2, enhancing its solubility and leading to the formation of multihole PbI2 films that promote subsequent crystallization of thick perovskite film. Additionally, the RbCl‐based perovskite film demonstrates a narrowed bandgap attributed to the formation of a‐FAPbI3. Consequently, the short‐circuit current density (Jsc) and open‐circuit voltage (Voc) in the RbCl‐based bifacial PSCs are simultaneously enhanced, and a record efficiency of 20.86% (21.04% certified) is also obtained among n‐i‐p bifacial PSCs, exhibiting an ≈80% bifaciality and a power generation density (PGD) exceeding 24 mW cm−2 with a reflectivity value of 0.2. More importantly, the optimized device does not show any performance degradation after continuous illumination under 1sun for 1000 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a highly crystalline self‐assembled multilayer (SAMUL) that is fundamentally different from the conventional monolayer or disordered bilayer used for hole‐extraction in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The SAMUL can be easily formed on ITO substrate to establish better surface coverage to enhance the performance and stability of PSCs. A detailed structure‐property‐performance relationship of molecules used for SAMUL is established through a systematic study of their crystallinity, molecular packing, and hole‐transporting properties. These SAMULs are rationally optimized by varying their molecular structures and deposition methods through thermal evaporation or spin‐coating for fabricating PSCs. The CbzNaphPPA‐based SAMUL was chosen for fabricating inverted PSCs due to it exhibiting the highest crystallinity and hole mobility which is derived from the ordered H‐aggregation. This resulted in a remarkably high fill factor of 86.45 %, which enables a very impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.07 % to be achieved along with excellent device stability (94 % of its initial PCE retained after continuous operation for 1200 h under 1‐sun irradiation at maximum power point at 65 °C). Additionally, a record‐high PCE of 23.50 % could be achieved by adopting a thermally evaporated SAMUL. This greatly simplifies and broadens the scope for SAM to be used for large‐area devices on diverse substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial issues between the perovskite film and electron transport layer greatly limit the efficiency and stability of inverted (p‐i‐n) perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Despite organic ammonium passivants have been widely established as interfacial layers, they failed to improve electron extraction. Here, we reported that the heavy n‐type characteristics in a low band gap perovskite film could be modulated by incorporating non‐conjugated ammonium passivants with strong electron‐withdrawing abilities. This resulted in a significant enhancement of electron extraction in the heavily n‐type doped perovskite. The passivant‐treated PSCs exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 25.74 % with an excellent fill factor of 85.4 % and a high open‐circuit voltage of 1.166 V, which are significantly higher than that of the control device. The unencapsulated devices maintained 88 % of their initial PCEs after 1,200 hours at 85 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last ten years, there has been a remarkable enhancement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), with poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiohene):poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) emerging as a prevalent choice for the hole transport layer (HTL). Nevertheless, the evolution of the widely utilized PEDOT:PSS HTL has not kept pace with the swift advancements in PSC technology, attributed to its suboptimal electrical conductivity, acidic nature, and inadequate electron-blocking performance. This study presents a novel approach to enhance the HTL by introducing molybdenum oxide (MoO3) into the PEDOT:PSS, leveraging the conductivity and solution processing compatibility of MoO3. Two methods for MoO3 integration were explored: an ammonium molybdate tetrahydrate (AMT) precursor and the direct addition of MoO3 nanoparticles. The carrier dynamics of PSCs modified by MoO3 are significantly optimized. Therefore, the PCE of the device modified by AMT and molybdenum oxide is increased to 18.23 and 19.64%, respectively, and the stability of the device is also improved. This study emphasizes the potential of MoO3 in contributing to the development of more efficient and stable PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide‐bandgap perovskite solar cells (PSCs) play crucial roles in determining the overall efficiencies of all‐perovskite tandem solar cells (TSCs). Tailoring the grain growth process is a key route to improve the film quality and device performance. Herein, a facile passivator‐assisted close space annealing (PA‐CSA) strategy to simultaneously enlarge the crystal size and passivate the defects is demonstrated. Filter paper is used as the solvent permeable membrane to slow down the fast crystallization and enlarge the grain size. At the same time, a precisely selected volatile material (fluorizated‐phenethylammonium chloride) embedded in the filter paper is employed as the passivator to eliminate defects in wide‐Eg perovskite film during annealing. The PA‐CSA‐processed wide‐Eg PSCs obtain the champion efficiencies of 21.28% (1.68 eV) and 20.24% (1.73 eV), enabling high‐performance all‐perovskite TSCs with efficiencies reaching 27% in both four‐terminal and monolithic two‐terminal tandem configurations, respectively. This PA‐CSA strategy provides an in situ passivating process for high‐performance PSCs and TSCs upon further industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of carbazole‐based self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) as a hole transport layer (HTL) has led to the efficiency advancement in p–i–n perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, PSCs with SAM HTL display a large spread in device performance even on small‐area substrates owing to poor SAM surface coverage and dewetting of the perovskite ink. Efforts to improve the uniformity in device performance of SAM‐based PSCs have been confined to spin‐coating method, which lacks high‐throughput capabilities and leads to excessive material wastage. Herein, a scalable bilayer HTL stack with sputtered NiO and blade‐coated SAM is utilized to achieve improved SAM coverage and accomplish uniform coating of perovskite absorber on 5 cm × 5 cm substrates. Fully scalable p–i–n PSCs with efficiency close to 19% with a minimal spread in device performance are achieved. To showcase the upscaling potential, near‐infrared‐transparent perovskite mini‐modules with efficiency close to 15% and 13% are achieved on an aperture area of 2.56 and 12.96 cm2. Together with low‐bandgap (1.0–1.1 eV) Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) mini‐modules, the first fully scalable 4‐terminal perovskite‐CIGS tandem mini‐module with an efficiency of 20.5% and 16.9% on an aperture area of 2.03 and 10.23 cm2 is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Two novel asymmetric phthalocyanine derivatives, ZnPc-1 and ZnPc-2, are synthesized to enhance charge transfer properties and mitigate deep-level traps on the perovskite surface using electron-rich nitrogen atoms. PSCs with ZnPc-1 and ZnPc-2 as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 12.11% and 8.98%, respectively. Incorporating a small amount of PMMA into the HTM solution significantly improved performance, resulting in PCEs of 16.2% and 12.5% for ZnPc-1 and ZnPc-2, respectively. The addition of PMMA enhances conductivity and prevents moisture intrusion, boosting both the efficiency and stability of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are the fastest-growing photovoltaic (PV) technology and hold great promise for the photovoltaic industry due to their low-cost fabrication and excellent efficiency. To achieve commercial readiness level, the most important factor would be yield beyond 95% at the PSC module levels. The current essential requirements for PSCs are reproducibility of high efficiency devices, scalability, and stability. The reported certified high efficiency (24–26%) results are based on the use of FAPbI3 perovskites with a bandgap of E g ≈ 1.5 eV, and the typical device's active area ranges from ≈ 0.1 cm2 to a maximum of 1 cm2. However, relatively higher bandgap PSCs are essential, especially in tandem solar cell applications. Hence, optimization of higher bandgap PSCs is a necessity. As the bandgap of the perovskites increases, the efficiency goes down due to reduced J S C and increased V O C loss. Therefore, understanding the loss mechanism and corresponding solutions need to be developed. Scaling up the device's active area without compromising the fill factor and, hence, efficiency is non-trivial. So, understanding the loss mechanism in large area devices is crucial. The stability analysis reported in the literature is inconsistent, preventing data comparison and identifying various degradation factors or failure mechanisms. Moreover, how the accelerated tests would be useful in predicting the real lifetime of the solar cells is yet to be developed. So, understanding the knowledge and the technological gaps between laboratory and industry-scale production is crucial for further development. Therefore, in this review article, we discuss the challenges and opportunities for scalable and stable high efficiency PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, various approaches and methods have been developed for the construction of high performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The lead (Pb)‐based PSCs demonstrated excellent performance but suffers from low stability and presence of toxic Pb. Thus, a rapid surge in the development of Pb free PSCs has been observed. Recently, various Pb free elements such as germanium (Ge), bismuth, tin and antimony based materials were adopted as absorber materials. Among these, Ge halide based absorber materials have received significant attention for the development of Pb free PSCs. Despite the exceptional optoelectronic properties of Ge‐based perovskite structures, the efficiency of resulting PSCs remains lower compared to their Pb‐based PSCs. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in the simulation studies of PSCs using solar cell capacitance simulation‐one dimensional (SCAPS‐1D) method. Numerous reports have emerged from different research groups simulating various Ge‐based PSCs via SCAPS‐1D. These simulation studies have shown promise in aiding the development of Pb‐free PSCs. In this mini‐review, previously reported literature on Ge‐based PSCs for experimental studies and simulation studies via SCAPS‐1D had been amassed. We believe that present mini review article will attract scientific researchers engaged in experimental and theoretical investigations of Ge‐based PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective utilization of self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) has indeed resulted in significant improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the poor interface contact between self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) and perovskite layers limits the further improvement of inverted PSCs. Herein, polyaniline is employed as a conductive adhesive, enabling interaction with the perovskite and simultaneous coupling with the SAM, to optimize the buried interface contact. Furthermore, the adhesive strategy is validated to alleviate residual tensile strain at the buried interface using the non‐destructive back grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (BGIWAXS) technique. As a result, the optimized inverted PSCs achieve a champion PCE of 25.59% with impressive stability by retaining 97.3% of its initial efficiency after 1200 h under ambient conditions and light‐emitting diode illumination. The findings provide a facial adhesive bridging strategy to play more impressive functions in the SAM‐based inverted PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs), as the forefront of third‐generation solar technology, are distinguished by their cost‐effectiveness, high photovoltaic efficiency, and the flexibility of their bandgap tunability, positioning them as formidable contenders in the photovoltaic market. However, the stability of PSCs remains a significant barrier to their widespread commercialization. Lamination encapsulation is identified as a pivotal intervention to enhance the durability of PSCs under external environmental stress. This review initiates with an in‐depth exploration of the degradation phenomena in PSCs, triggered by environmental stressors such as water, oxygen, light, and heat. This analysis lays bare the degradation mechanisms, thereby highlighting the specific demands for effective encapsulation materials. Subsequently, the review presents a systematic discourse on the latest developments in encapsulation materials, dissecting their molecular structures and linking these to their physical properties and performance in encapsulation applications. The narrative concludes by charting potential future research pathways intended to refine and enhance the encapsulation performance of PSCs, offering several routes for overcoming current limitations and propelling PSCs toward their full commercial potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CsGeI2Br-based perovskites, with their favorable band gap and high absorption coefficient, are promising candidates for the development of efficient lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, bulk and interfacial carrier non-radiative recombination losses hinder the further improvement of power conversion efficiency and stability in PSCs. To overcome this challenge, the photovoltaic potential of the device is unlocked by optimizing the optical and electronic parameters through rigorous numerical simulation, which include tuning perovskite thickness, bulk defect density, and series and shunt resistance. Additionally, to make the simulation data as realistic as possible, recombination processes, such as Auger recombination, must be considered. In this simulation, when the Auger capture coefficient is increased to 10−29 cm6 s−1, the efficiency drops from 31.62% (without taking Auger recombination into account) to 29.10%. Since Auger recombination is unavoidable in experiments, carrier losses due to Auger recombination should be included in the analysis of the efficiency limit to avoid significantly overestimating the simulated device performance. Therefore, this paper provides valuable insights for designing realistic and efficient lead-free PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrialization of perovskite (PVK) solar cells (PSCs) necessitates simple manufacturing, cheapness, nontoxicity, high efficiency, and stability. We report an air-processed lead halide PSCs with cheap, nontoxic, stable NiOx and SnO2 as the hole and electron transport layers separately, to meet all the above commercial requests. By preparing the NiOx (water-dispersible) and SnO2 (oil-dispersible) quantum dots (QDs) with good conductivity and energy band matched well with that of PVK, we fabricate inverted PSCs (ITO/NiOx/PVK/SnO2/Ag) with efficiency up to 20.1/14.6% for active areas of 0.0707/1 cm2, under 1 sun simulated illumination with enhanced UV light ratio. The UV-light resistant PSCs reported here will impel their application in the high altitude areas with strong UV light. Importantly, the monodisperse size and dominant (110) plane of SnO2 QDs achieved by controlling the solvothermal parameters, realize the conformal deposition and defect prevention of SnO2, respectively, thus improving the PSC efficiency and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are influenced by various factors, such as controlling the migration of iodide anion (I−) and lithium cation (Li+), oxidizing the hole‐transport material of 2,2′,7,7′‐tetras(N,N‐p‐methoxyaniline)‐9,9′‐spirodifluorene (Spiro), and passivating the perovskite film. Herein, three multifunctional crown‐ether‐iodine (crown‐ether‐I2) supra‐molecules are investigated as activities in the hole transport layers (HTLs). Results indicate that the crown‐ether‐I2 can slowly release I2 to gently oxidize Spiro, and significantly improve the efficiency of PSCs. Moreover, the crown‐ether can contribute to stabilizing Li+ in HTL and passivating the defect sites on the upper interface of the perovskite layer, which can enhance the long‐term stability of PSCs. Furthermore, crown‐ether‐I2 can absorb I− to produce crown‐ether‐I3−, which can discharge I− to promote the self‐healing of I− defects and inhibit the migration of I− in the perovskite film, thereby further enhancing PSC's long‐term stability. PSC based on Dbenzo‐24‐Crown‐8‐Ether‐Iodine (DB24C8‐I2) achieves an impressive efficiency of 24.29%, which is much higher than that of the control device (22.28%). Additionally, the stability of the un‐encapsulated PSC with DB24C8‐I2 is significantly enhanced, while maintaining 96.9% of its original efficiency after 2000 h. This work provides an effective strategy for improving the efficiency and long‐term stability of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain boundaries (GBs) and surface defects within perovskite films are inherent challenges that affect the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells  (PSCs. In this work, Nylon 11 (N11) is utilized, a long‐chain polymer, for post‐treating the GBs and surface defects within FAPbI3 films. The multifunctional groups of N11 exhibit unique passivation abilities, enabling self‐regulation and selective correction of reverse‐charged defects. Post‐treating with N11 results in high‐quality FAPbI3 films characterized by tight GBs and low surface defect density. Despite fabrication under full open‐air conditions, the N11 post‐treatment significantly enhances the power conversion efficiency (PCE) value of FAPbI3 PSCs, increasing it from the reference value of 21.89% to 23.54%. Importantly, the long alkyl chain present in N11 significantly enhances the humidity stability of the PSCs. Unencapsulated PSCs treated with N11 maintain 89% of their initial PCE after exposure to air with 30% relative humidity (RH) for 1000 h, demonstrating resilience to elevated humidity levels. This work highlights the substantial improvement in the photovoltaic performance of PSCs achieved through the post‐treatment with N11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large voltage deficit and photoinduced halide segregation are the two primary challenges that hinder the advancement of wide‐bandgap (WBG) (Eg ≥ 1.65 eV) perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a cation engineering approach to enhance the optoelectronic properties of formamidine–cesium (FA‐Cs) WBG perovskites by incorporating methylamine (MA) as the third cation is presented. Three perovskite species with a bandgap of 1.68 eV, abbreviated as Cs0.05, Cs0.15, and Cs0.25, are systematically studied by optimizing the MA content. The incorporation of MA is found to effectively enhance the crystallinity and improve the carrier lifetimes of the three perovskite species. Moreover, the microstrain in the FA‐MA‐Cs perovskite films is significantly reduced due to the buffer effect of MA between the size‐mismatched FA and Cs, a benefit derived from the cascade cation design. The optimized compositions for the three species are Cs0.05MA0.2FA0.75PbI2.58Br0.42, Cs0.15MA0.1FA0.75PbI2.68Br0.32, and Cs0.25MA0.03FA0.72PbI2.73Br0.27, respectively. Among these, Cs0.25MA0.03FA0.72PbI2.73Br0.27 perovskite stands out due to its high crystallinity, low microstrain, and low trap density, giving rise to the highest efficiency of 20.64% with the lowest voltage loss. This perovskite also exhibits superior air, light, and thermal stability. These findings underscore the importance of rational cation design in achieving efficient and photostable WBG PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature fluctuations induced by mountain waves can play a crucial role in the formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). In particular, the cold phase of the waves can lower local temperatures sufficiently to trigger PSC formation, even when large-scale background temperatures are too high. To provide new quantitative constraints on the relevance of this effect, this study analyzes a decade (2002–2012) of ice PSC detections obtained from Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) measurements and ERA5 data in the polar winter lower stratosphere. In the MIPAS observations, we find that approximately 52 % of the Arctic ice PSCs and 26 % of the Antarctic ice PSCs are detected at temperatures above the local Tice. Ice PSCs above Tice are concentrated around mountainous regions and their downwind directions. A backward-trajectory analysis is performed to investigate the temperature history of each ice PSC observation. The cumulative fraction of ice PSCs above Tice increases as the trajectory gets closer to the observation point. The most significant change in the fraction of ice PSCs above Tice occurs within the 6 h preceding the observations. At the observation point, the mean fractions of ice PSCs above Tice , taking into account temperature fluctuations along the backward trajectory, are 33 % in the Arctic and 9 % in the Antarctic. The results provide a quantitative assessment of the occurrence of ice PSCs above Tice in connection with orographic waves. Additionally, the observational statistics presented can be utilized for comparison with chemistry climate simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient manipulation of crystallization and control over defects are crucial for optimizing the performance and durability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, a novel organic multifunctional additive, 2‐(furan‐3‐yl)ethanamine hydrochloride (FFEACl), is introduced which plays a pivotal role in regulating the crystallization process of FAPbI3. Incorporating FFEACl into the perovskite precursor solution effectively suppresses the formation of undesirable non‐perovskite phase impurities while promoting the oriented crystallization of the α‐phase FAPbI3. Moreover, the addition of FFEACl leads to a more uniform surface potential and reduced defect density in the resulting FAPbI3 film. Consequently, the top‐performing PSC exhibits an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.41%, along with enhanced operational stability. Notably, the fabricated PSCs maintain over 80% of their initial PCE even after 1000 h of continuous operation under one‐sun illumination. The findings present a facile and effective strategy for fabricating perovskite photovoltaic devices with exceptional performance and long‐term reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have witnessed a meteoric rise in device performance. However, maintaining photostability, particularly under thermal stress, remains a challenge due to defect formation in the perovskite layer. This study introduces europium (III) trifluoromethanesulfonate [Eu(OTF)3] as a multifunctional additive in two‐step processed perovskite films, significantly improving the performance and high‐temperature photostability of n‐i‐p PSCs. Density function theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the OTF− anion strongly coordinates with Pb2+, effectively inhibiting iodine vacancy defect formation. The addition of Eu(OTF)3 promotes perovskite grain growth to ≈2 µm and enhances film crystallinity. PSCs with a structure of ITO/SnO2/perovskite/PDCBT/NiOx/Au achieve a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.8%. Under 85 ± 5 °C and 1 sun illumination at an open circuit in ambient air, the PSCs with Eu(OTF)3 retain 82% of their initial PCE after aging for 1500 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bottom perovskite with the hole transport layer (HTL) in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) interface has received little attention due to challenges like interlayer dissolution during perovskite deposition. And voids at the perovskite/HTL interface can degrade cell performance. This work introduces a two‐dimensional (2D) perovskite layer between the perovskite and poly (N, N′‐bis‐4‐butylphenyl‐N, N′‐bisphenyl) benzidine (Poly‐TPD) HTL using a mixed solution of 4‐methylphenethylammonium chloride (4M‐PEA‐Cl), methylammonium iodide (MA‐I), and Poly(9,9‐bis(3′‐(N,N‐dimethyl)‐N‐ethylammoinium‐propyl‐2,7‐fluorene)‐alt‐2,7‐(9,9‐dioctylfluorene))dibromide (PFN‐Br). The amine functional groups in the organic salts improved HTL wettability, resulting in a void‐free interface. 4M‐PEA‐Cl, with its strong electron‐withdrawing benzene ring, outperformed other amine‐containing salts in passivating undercoordinated Pb2+ ions. Incorporating this hybrid passivation layer in PSCs resulted in a 1.8% absolute increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 19.1% with 1.68 eV perovskite bandgap. Additionally, the passivated PSCs demonstrated enhanced operational stability, retaining 91% of their initial efficiency after 800 hours of continuous 1‐sun illumination, compared to 84.7% for the control sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rapidly advancing field of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), achieving the Shockley–Queisser efficiency limit is primarily hindered by nonradiative recombination losses. In this study, the strategic incorporation of chiral graphene quantum dots (GQDs) at the PSC interface is pioneered, significantly mitigating these losses through this chiral interface engineering. Also in this study, by synthesizing and characterizing the chiroptic behavior and doping effects of both chiral and racemic GQDs, their pivotal role in enhancing charge extraction and transport is unveiled. In the findings of this study, it is shown that GQDs do not alter the crystallization of perovskite films but significantly boost light absorption owing to improved interfacial contact. Subsequent optical and electrical assessments reveal that the PSCs treated with chiral GQDs outperform those with racemic GQDs, primarily on account of the chiral specificity of chiral GQDs, which leads to reduced nonradiative recombination and enhanced charge transport efficiency. In this work, not only the potential of chiral GQDs is underscored in elevating PSC efficiency but also a compelling proof of concept for chiral interface engineering is established as a key to unlocking the full potential of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nontoxic Sn‐based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represent a promising alternative to Pb‐based PSCs, given their similar electronic properties and an ideal bandgap, accompanied by the highest theoretical efficiency (>33%). However, the performance of Sn‐based PSCs lags significantly behind their Pb‐based counterparts. This disparity arises from the susceptibility of Sn2+ to easy oxidation to Sn4+, an energy level mismatch, and fast crystilization. It is widely acknowledged that the oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+ results in severe P‐type doping, leading to increased recombination, which is a primary factor contributing to the lower device performance. In this perspective article, we summarized the utilization of metallic Sn in Sn‐based PSCs to facilitate the reduction of Sn4+ back to Sn2+. This approach is preferred due to its effectiveness, simplicity in process, and the absence of introducing additional impurities. Moreover, metallic Sn can serve as a source for synthesizing SnI2 and act as hole transport material through transformation from Sn to SnOx. We hope this article serve as a valuable reference for the ongoing development of Sn‐based materials in PSCs technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coagulation, a fundamental and crucial operation in water treatment, has a long history of application in water/wastewater treatment processes. The efficiency of coagulation depends primarily on the quality, type, and quantity of coagulants used. Although aluminum or iron-based coagulants are the most commonly employed, polymeric silicate coagulants (PSCs) are less frequently utilized. However, the PSCs are promising candidates that deserve further exploration and examination of their potential applications. This review presents an examination of the advantages, synthesis theory, coagulation mechanism, and structure of PSCs. It also delves into the current limitations of these coagulants in research and the challenges that lie ahead for future studies. Finally, it offers some suggestions for future research directions. These discussions are intended to aid readers in comprehending the fundamental characteristics of these coagulants, enabling them to grasp their design methodologies and application area. This understanding can contribute to overcoming the limitations of this type of flocculants, further enhancing their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inferior morphology of perovskite films and suppressed hole extraction restricts the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with a PEDOT:PSS hole transporting layer (HTL). In this work, poly-TPD is used to modify the surface of PEDOT:PSS films in PSC. The presence of hydrophobic poly-TPD decreases the nucleation sites, and as a result, perovskite films with larger grains are obtained. Improved energy level alignment in the presence of poly-TPD results in enhanced hole extraction from the perovskite layer to the HTL. The improved morphology and charge extraction resulted in improved photovoltaic performance. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs was increased from 13.6% to 16.1% with the incorporation of poly-TPD. Also, the shelf life of the PSCs has exhibited considerable improvement due to the presence of hydrophobic poly-TPD and fewer number of grain boundaries. After 66 days, the PSC with poly-TPD maintained 96% of its initial PCE, whereas the PCE of the control device degraded to 72% of its initial value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]