We describe a general approach for protecting metal halide perovskite solar cells against degradation in high-humidity environments using a sputtered barrier coating. A SiO2 protective layer, applied to two different types of perovskite solar cells, was deposited without strongly impacting the initial device performance. The degradation of the cells was imaged in real time using laser beam-induced current (LBIC) measurements in an accelerated test. We show that SiO2 barrier films can improve the tolerance of the devices to extreme humidity conditions and extend lifetimes by a factor of ∼60 when a 45 nm SiO2 barrier layer is applied to CH3NH3PbI3 and by a factor of ∼600 when a 300 nm barrier is applied to a triple-cation perovskite material. The LBIC data revealed that the approach promises protection against degradation initiation at the edges of scribed lines, which will be necessary for the fabrication of monolithically integrated modules.

Blade coating of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and modules has progressed considerably toward the industrial production of perovskite photovoltaics. Developing stable perovskite precursors is critical for achieving uniform coating over large areas. Here, the engineering of a perovskite precursor solution consisting of 2‐methoxyethanol (2‐Me) and 1,3‐dimethyl‐imidazolidinone (DMI) with superior intermediate phase stability that enables scalable production of efficient perovskite solar modules is reported. With this perovskite precursor solution, uniform and pinhole‐less perovskite film is deposited over a large area of > 100 cm2 and higher‐efficiency PSCs and modules are obtained. The best‐performing unit cell and module with n‐i‐p configuration reach power conversion efficiencies of 23.4% and 20.1%, respectively. Additionally, a series of non‐destructive metrology methods, such as spectroscopic ellipsometry, hyperspectral photoluminescence, electroluminescence, and laser beam‐induced current mapping, are employed to assess and guide the development the blade‐coated perovskite modules. This results show that rational engineering of precursor inks for blade coating is promising for the scalable production of efficient perovskite solar modules.

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