Top-Down Approaches Towards Single Crystal Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract

Solar cells employing hybrid perovskites have proven to be a serious contender versus established thin-film photovoltaic technologies. Typically, current photovoltaic devices are built up layer by layer from a transparent substrate (bottom-up approach), while the deposition of the perovskite layer itself comes with many challenges including the control of crystal size, nucleation density and growth rate. On the other hand, single crystals have been used with great success for studying the fundamental properties of this new class of optoelectronic materials. However, optoelectronic devices fabricated from single crystals often employ different materials than in their thin film counterparts. Here, we demonstrate various top-down approaches for low-temperature processed organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite single crystal devices. Our approach uses common and well-established material combinations that are often used in polycrystalline thin film devices. The use of a polymer bezel allows easier processing of small crystals and the fabrication of solution-processed, free-standing perovskite single crystal devices. All in all these approaches can supplement other measurements of more fundamental material properties often requiring perovskite single crystals by rendering a photovoltaic characterization possible on the very same crystal with comparable material combinations as in thin film devices.

Stability of MAPbI3 perovskite grown on planar and mesoporous electron-selective contact by inverse temperature crystallization

“…These tiny crystallites are mainly originating due to the unconverted precursors. 18 The inference for this is also supported by the XRD patterns ( Fig. 3(c)) as discussed in detail in the following paragraph.…”

Lead‐Free Tin‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells: Strategies Toward High Performance

“…Padture et al predicted that a theoretical PCE of 23% can be achieved for solar cells using CsSnI 3 single crystals or large‐grained polycrystalline films under optimized conditions . As Pb‐based PSCs based on films with millimeter‐scale grains or single crystal have been realized, it seems highly feasible to deposit large‐grained Sn‐based perovskites and eventually incorporate their single crystals into photovoltaic devices to take advantage of their low defect densities and superior charge transport properties. The larger grain size will also ensure a more compact morphology which reduces the probability of water and oxygen ingression through grain boundaries, benefitting the stability of the device.…”

Perovskite Single Crystals: Synthesis, Optoelectronic Properties, and Application

“…[ 13c,40 ] Unfortunately, due to the complicated process of integrating the thin SCs onto the substrates, the development of SCs solar cells lags far behind that of their polycrystalline counterparts. [ 116 ] And the reduction of crystal thickness is the pivotal strategy to improve the performance of the SC‐based solar cells. [ 117 ] To overcome this obstacle, thin SCs were prepared using the aforementioned space‐limited methods, [ 34a ] splitting bulk SCs with a diamond wire slicing machine, [ 54,116 ] or directly growing thin SCs on HTLs.…”