Reflective perovskite solar cells for efficient tandem applications
01 Jan 2017-Journal of Materials Chemistry C (The Royal Society of Chemistry)-Vol. 5, Iss: 1, pp 134-139
TL;DR: In this paper, a reflective tandem configuration with perovskite solar cells acting as the spectral filter that absorbs high energy photons, while sub-bandgap photons are reflected to a Si sub-cell using a highly reflective back metal electrode.
Abstract: Tandem solar cells combining a wide bandgap, efficient perovskite absorber with a low bandgap photovoltaic module, such as a c-Si cell, can potentially achieve a high theoretical efficiency of over 30%. Instead of using the conventional parallel stacking tandem, we report here a reflective tandem configuration, with the perovskite solar cell acting as the spectral filter that absorbs high energy photons, while sub-bandgap photons are reflected to a Si sub-cell using a highly reflective back metal electrode. The perovskite solar cell exhibits a high reflectance of over 60% in the near infrared spectral region, which allows the subsequent silicon cell to absorb photons in this region, resulting in a high current density of 13.03 mA cm−2. In such a tandem configuration, we achieved a combined efficiency of 23.1% using a four-terminal measurement. This result demonstrates the promise of employing perovskite solar cells in a reflective tandem for a high efficiency solar energy conversion system, with an efficiency of up to 30%.
Citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an overview of state-of-the-art progress on the integrated solar cell devices based on DSSC and PSC, such as DSSCs/LIB, DSSc/PESC, PSC/PSC, SSC/SSC, OSC/SC, PSSC/SC/OSC, DSC/NG, NSC/NSC, PSC/NSCS, and PESC/ELC, for energy harvesting and storage.
Abstract: The sharp increase of research passion in the new-generation solar cells in recent years has resulted in a new trend in combining multiple types of energy devices in a single device. In view of the enhanced and/or diversified function of integrated devices, as compared with conventional devices with limited performance or sole applicability, many integrated power packs have been widely developed by combining different devices, such as a silicon solar cell (SSC), Cu(In,Ga)(Sn,Se)2 (CIGS), organic solar cell (OSC), dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), perovskite solar cell (PSC), lithium-ion battery (LIB), nanogenerator (NG), supercapacitor (SC), photoelectrosynthetic cell (PESC), and electrolysis cell (ELC), into one unit. In this Review, with a particular emphasis on their recent advances, we cover the integrated solar cell device research in a broad sense and provide an overview of state-of-the-art progress on the integrated solar cell devices based on DSSC and PSC, such as DSSC/LIB, DSSC/SC, DSSC/NG, DSSC/LIB/NG, PSC/OSC, PSC/CIGS, PSC/PSC, PSC/SSC, SSC/SC, PSC/SC, OSC/SC, DSSC/PESC, PSC/PESC, and PSC/ELC, for energy harvesting and storage that are significantly important for self-powering systems and portable/wearable electronics. Finally, the challenges and future outlooks in this promising photovoltaic (PV) field are featured on the basis of current development.
339 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells is presented, focusing on the developments that led to the recent progress in tandem cell performance, as well as the fac-tors currently limiting their performance, including parasitic absorption, reflection losses, and the nonideal perovsite absorber layer bandgap.
Abstract: Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells have reached efficiencies above 25% in just about three years of development, mostly driven by the rapid progress made in the perovskite solar cell research field. This review aims to give an overview of the achievements made in this timeframe toward the goal of developing high-efficiency perovskite/silicon tandem cells with sufficiently large area and long lifetime to be commercially interesting. The developments that led to the recent progress in tandem cell efficiency, as well as the fac-tors currently still limiting their performance, including parasitic absorption, reflection losses, and the nonideal perovskite absorber layer bandgap, are discussed. Based on this discussion, guidelines for future developments are given. In addition, crucial aspects to enable the commercialization of pero-vskite/silicon tandem solar cells are reviewed, such as device stability and upscaling. Finally, economic considerations show how the number of steps and/or the costs associated to these steps for realizing the perovskite cell must be kept to a minimum to keep up with progress in the field of silicon photovoltaics.
306 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the theoretical and experimental analysis of organic-inorganic halide perovskite (OIHP) materials reported from various sources and considers the chemical and structural origin of their unique optoelectronic properties, correlated microstructures, and newly discovered extraordinary properties.
98 citations
TL;DR: This review focuses on the factors limiting the stability of PSCs, such as humidity, heat, and irradiation, summarizing recent strategies to overcome stability and fabrication obstacles in order to open new perspectives to achieve highly durable perovskite devices toward future industrialization.
Abstract: The discovery and development of organic-inorganic halide perovskites with exceptional properties has become an active research area in the field of photovoltaics. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted much attention in recent years due to various attractive advantages, such as simple solution processing, low manufacturing cost, and high performances with power conversion efficiencies now reaching certified values close to 23% within a very short time frame of five years. Despite this rapid progress, the inferior device stability remains a great challenge. This review focuses on the factors limiting the stability of PSCs, such as humidity, heat, and irradiation, summarizing recent strategies to overcome stability and fabrication obstacles in order to open new perspectives to achieve highly durable perovskite devices toward future industrialization.
59 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the structural adjustment of the bottom cell based on the structural evolution of monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells to improve their performance is discussed.
41 citations
References
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TL;DR: Two organolead halide perovskite nanocrystals were found to efficiently sensitize TiO(2) for visible-light conversion in photoelectrochemical cells, which exhibit strong band-gap absorptions as semiconductors.
Abstract: Two organolead halide perovskite nanocrystals, CH3NH3PbBr3 and CH3NH3PbI3, were found to efficiently sensitize TiO2 for visible-light conversion in photoelectrochemical cells. When self-assembled on mesoporous TiO2 films, the nanocrystalline perovskites exhibit strong band-gap absorptions as semiconductors. The CH3NH3PbI3-based photocell with spectral sensitivity of up to 800 nm yielded a solar energy conversion efficiency of 3.8%. The CH3NH3PbBr3-based cell showed a high photovoltage of 0.96 V with an external quantum conversion efficiency of 65%.
16,634 citations
TL;DR: A sequential deposition method for the formation of the perovskite pigment within the porous metal oxide film that greatly increases the reproducibility of their performance and allows the fabrication of solid-state mesoscopic solar cells with unprecedented power conversion efficiencies and high stability.
Abstract: Following pioneering work, solution-processable organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites-such as CH3NH3PbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I)-have attracted attention as light-harvesting materials for mesoscopic solar cells. So far, the perovskite pigment has been deposited in a single step onto mesoporous metal oxide films using a mixture of PbX2 and CH3NH3X in a common solvent. However, the uncontrolled precipitation of the perovskite produces large morphological variations, resulting in a wide spread of photovoltaic performance in the resulting devices, which hampers the prospects for practical applications. Here we describe a sequential deposition method for the formation of the perovskite pigment within the porous metal oxide film. PbI2 is first introduced from solution into a nanoporous titanium dioxide film and subsequently transformed into the perovskite by exposing it to a solution of CH3NH3I. We find that the conversion occurs within the nanoporous host as soon as the two components come into contact, permitting much better control over the perovskite morphology than is possible with the previously employed route. Using this technique for the fabrication of solid-state mesoscopic solar cells greatly increases the reproducibility of their performance and allows us to achieve a power conversion efficiency of approximately 15 per cent (measured under standard AM1.5G test conditions on solar zenith angle, solar light intensity and cell temperature). This two-step method should provide new opportunities for the fabrication of solution-processed photovoltaic cells with unprecedented power conversion efficiencies and high stability equal to or even greater than those of today's best thin-film photovoltaic devices.
8,427 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that perovskite absorbers can function at the highest efficiencies in simplified device architectures, without the need for complex nanostructures.
Abstract: Many different photovoltaic technologies are being developed for large-scale solar energy conversion. The wafer-based first-generation photovoltaic devices have been followed by thin-film solid semiconductor absorber layers sandwiched between two charge-selective contacts and nanostructured (or mesostructured) solar cells that rely on a distributed heterojunction to generate charge and to transport positive and negative charges in spatially separated phases. Although many materials have been used in nanostructured devices, the goal of attaining high-efficiency thin-film solar cells in such a way has yet to be achieved. Organometal halide perovskites have recently emerged as a promising material for high-efficiency nanostructured devices. Here we show that nanostructuring is not necessary to achieve high efficiencies with this material: a simple planar heterojunction solar cell incorporating vapour-deposited perovskite as the absorbing layer can have solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies of over 15 per cent (as measured under simulated full sunlight). This demonstrates that perovskite absorbers can function at the highest efficiencies in simplified device architectures, without the need for complex nanostructures.
7,018 citations
TL;DR: Perovskite films received a boost in photovoltaic efficiency through controlled formation of charge-generating films and improved current transfer to the electrodes and low-temperature processing steps allowed the use of materials that draw current out of the perovskites layer more efficiently.
Abstract: Advancing perovskite solar cell technologies toward their theoretical power conversion efficiency (PCE) requires delicate control over the carrier dynamics throughout the entire device. By controlling the formation of the perovskite layer and careful choices of other materials, we suppressed carrier recombination in the absorber, facilitated carrier injection into the carrier transport layers, and maintained good carrier extraction at the electrodes. When measured via reverse bias scan, cell PCE is typically boosted to 16.6% on average, with the highest efficiency of ~19.3% in a planar geometry without antireflective coating. The fabrication of our perovskite solar cells was conducted in air and from solution at low temperatures, which should simplify manufacturing of large-area perovskite devices that are inexpensive and perform at high levels.
5,789 citations
TL;DR: An approach for depositing high-quality FAPbI3 films, involving FAP bI3 crystallization by the direct intramolecular exchange of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) molecules intercalated in PbI2 with formamidinium iodide is reported.
Abstract: The band gap of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskites allows broader absorption of the solar spectrum relative to conventional methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3). Because the optoelectronic properties of perovskite films are closely related to film quality, deposition of dense and uniform films is crucial for fabricating high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We report an approach for depositing high-quality FAPbI3 films, involving FAPbI3 crystallization by the direct intramolecular exchange of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) molecules intercalated in PbI2 with formamidinium iodide. This process produces FAPbI3 films with (111)-preferred crystallographic orientation, large-grained dense microstructures, and flat surfaces without residual PbI2. Using films prepared by this technique, we fabricated FAPbI3-based PSCs with maximum power conversion efficiency greater than 20%.
5,458 citations