The Perovskite-Info newsletter (November 28, 2022)

Researchers from the Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory and The University of Toledo have developed a new characterization tool that allowed them to gain unique insight into a perovskite material. Led by Ames' Jigang Wang, the team developed a microscope that uses terahertz waves to collect data on material samples. The team then used their microscope to explore Methylammonium Lead Iodide (MAPbI₃) perovskite.

Richard Kim, a scientist from Ames Lab, explained the two features that make the new scanning probe microscope unique. First, the microscope uses the terahertz range of electromagnetic frequencies to collect data on materials. This range is far below the visible light spectrum, falling between the infrared and microwave frequencies. Secondly, the terahertz light is shined through a sharp metallic tip that enhances the microscope’s capabilities toward nanometer length scales.

Researchers from Northwestern University, University of Toronto and the University of Toledo have developed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell with extremely high efficiency and "record-setting" voltage.

“Further improvements in the efficiency of solar cells are crucial for the ongoing decarbonization of our economy,” says U of T Engineering Professor Ted Sargent (ECE). “While silicon solar cells have undergone impressive advances in recent years, there are inherent limitations to their efficiency and cost, arising from material properties. Perovskite technology can overcome these limitations, but until now, it had performed below its full potential. Our latest study identifies a key reason for this and points a way forward.”

In June 2021, Tokyo Chemical Industry Company Limited (TCI) started offering new hole selective self-assembled monolayer (SAM) forming agents, 2PACz [Product Number: C3663], MeO-2PACz [D5798] and Me-4PACz [M3359] for high performance perovskite solar cells and OPVs. Now, TCI has expanded its range of SAMs by adding two new high-efficiency materials: Me-2PACz [M3477] and Br-2PACz [B6391].

The SAM materials enable efficient, versatile and stable p-i-n perovskite solar cell devices. These materials are useful for tandem solar cells as they grant conformal coverage on rough textures. In fact, a perovskite solar cell that uses the SAM hole transport layer can realize more than 20% efficiency without using dopants or additives. Perovskite-Silicon tandem solar cells that use Me-4PACz as a hole contact material realized 29.15% efficiency. Costs are lowered thanks to extremely low material consumption, and the processing is very simple and scalable.

Scientists from the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) have achieved 21.1 percent efficiency with tandem perovskite - CIGS solar cells. These thin-film-based modules are highly efficient, light and flexible and can open doors to many new use cases for which standard rigid modules are not suitable.

ZSW’s tandem solar module has an area of nine square centimeters and achieves 21.1 percent efficiency. This prototype also features scalable component architecture suitable for industrial manufacturing. The best performance attained to date with tandem solar modules made of perovskite and CIGS is just slightly higher at 22 percent. ZSW has already achieved an excellent efficiency level of 26.6 percent with this combination of materials in smaller laboratory cells.