Local Performance Analysis of Perovskite Solar Cells: Implications and Perspectives

Abstract

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a leading photovoltaic technology due to their high efficiency and cost-effectiveness, yet long-term stability and consistent performance remain challenges. This perspective discusses how local structural properties, such as grain boundaries and intragrain defects, and optoelectronic properties, including charge transfer and recombination processes, affect PSC performance, emphasizing the role of advanced imaging and mapping techniques in characterizing these properties. Additionally, the perspective extends to the stability of perovskite materials and devices, exploring how imaging and mapping techniques reveal degradation caused by environmental factors such as humidity, temperature, light, and electrical bias. Furthermore, this perspective also discusses the limitations of these local performance analyses, such as characterization scope, resolution, and sensitivity issues, as well as challenges in quantitative analysis. Understanding these constraints is essential for refining local performance analysis methods and advancing perovskite solar cell technology toward more reliable and efficient photovoltaic devices.P erovskite solar cells (PSCs) have made significant progress in the photovoltaic field, achieving efficiencies over 26% while remaining cost-effective. 1−5 However, concerns regarding their long-term stability and operational efficiency persist. 6−9 To tackle these challenges, it is imperative to gain a more nuanced understanding of the local performance of perovskites from microscale to nanoscale. Local performance typically refers to the structural, electronic, and optical properties at different microscopic regions within the perovskite film or device. Techniques that enable precise visualization at this level are crucial, as they reveal essential insights into the microstructural properties that profoundly influence the efficiency and stability of PSCs. 10,11 Researchers can readily utilize specialized visualization techniques to analyze properties, such as charge transfer and band alignment, which do not require spatial resolution. Simultaneously, by transitioning from macroscale to microscale and nanoscale for local performance analysis, they are able to detect microstructural defects and subtle local variations that