Prof Henry Snaith FRS

Abstract:

Organometal trihalide perovskite based solar cells have exhibited the highest efficiencies to-date when incorporated into mesostructured composites. However, thin solid films of a perovskite absorber should be capable of operating at the highest efficiency in a simple planar heterojunction configuration. Here, it is shown that film morphology is a critical issue in planar heterojunction CHNHPbICl solar cells. The morphology is carefully controlled by varying processing conditions, and it is demonstrated that the highest photocurrents are attainable only with the highest perovskite surface coverages. With optimized solution based film formation, power conversion efficiencies of up to 11.4% are achieved, the first report of efficiencies above 10% in fully thin-film solution processed perovskite solar cells with no mesoporous layer. The critical role of perovskite morphology in planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells is probed and understood. Dewetting of perovskite films is minimized, to achieve uniform 100% coverage perovskite layers. Solution cast planar heterojunction solar cells with efficiencies of up to 11.4% are fabricated, a new record for such cells with no mesoporous layer. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Abstract:

The power conversion efficiency of hybrid solid-state solar cells has more than doubled from 7 to 15% over the past year. This is largely as a result of the incorporation of organometallic trihalide perovskite absorbers into these devices. But, as promising as this development is, long-term operational stability is just as important as initial conversion efficiency when it comes to the development of practical solid-state solar cells. Here we identify a critical instability in mesoporous TiO₂-sensitized solar cells arising from light-induced desorption of surface-adsorbed oxygen. We show that this instability does not arise in mesoporous TiO₂-free mesosuperstructured solar cells. Moreover, our TiO₂-free cells deliver stable photocurrent for over 1,000 h continuous exposure and operation under full spectrum simulated sunlight.