An international team has designed a perovskite solar cell with an electron transport layer (ETL) made of indium sulfide (In₂S₃) that could reportedly reduce the defect density in the device.

The scientists used a numerical module and the SCAPS-1D solar cell capacitance software, which is a simulation tool for thin-film solar cells that was developed by the University of Ghent in Belgium, to simulate s solar cell based on methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃).

TCI has launched a range of molecular dopants that can significantly increase the charge carrier density and modify the energy levels in organic electronics devices. Molecular dopants offer a versatile platform to tune the optoelectrical and electrical properties of organic semiconductors to application-specific demands, allowing advantages like increasing the electrical conductivity and mobility by orders of magnitude and improving contact properties in various electronic and optoelectronic devices.

TCI's p-type and n-type dopants can be applied to various organic electronics devices, such as: carrier transport layers of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and perovskite quantum dot LEDs, as well as active layers of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), OPVs, and thermoelectric devices in the field of organic electronics research.

LONGi announced new conversion efficiency of 33.5% for silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells based on commercial CZ silicon wafers, as was revealed at the Intersolar Europe 2023 exhibition. Earlier this month, LONGi announced its “STAR Innovative Ecological Cooperation Platform” and its newly achieved efficiency of 31.8% for perovskite/crystalline silicon tandem solar cells based on commercial CZ silicon wafers.

“Improving cell conversion efficiency and reducing the cost of electricity remain the perpetual theme driving the development of the photovoltaic industry.” Said Li Zhenguo, President of LONGi.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) has issued a notice of intent (NOI) to release a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) of up to $36 million for research, development, and demonstration projects on two major thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies: metal halide perovskites and cadmium telluride (CdTe).  

The DOE stated that advancing perovskite and CdTe technologies will help scale domestic solar manufacturing capacity, strengthen the solar supply chain, and speed solar deployment.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have used graphdiyne oxide (GDYO), fluorinated GDYO (FGDYO) and nitrogen-doped GDYO (NGDYO) to improve the SnO₂ electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells and revealed the relevant mechanism using synchrotron radiation technology. 

The team tracked the growth process of SnO₂, PbI₂ and perovskite using in situ XRD and the chemical bonds on the interface between ETL and the active layer using in situ XAFS. They found that the stronger interaction between the doped SnO₂ and PbI₂ inhibited PbI₂ crystallization in perovskite layers and gave more opportunity for the PbI₂ precursor to form perovskite, thus making perovskite crystallize better.

It was reported that U.S-based CubicPV secured US$103 million in equity financing. While it is meant to support its plans to develop a US silicon wafer production base, CubicPV also said that this capital will support its research into perovskite-silicon tandem technology. 

“Today’s announcement underscores the considerable progress we’ve made, the depth of our engineering competence and the strength of our technologies to deliver a more powerful solar future,” said Frank van Mierlo, CEO of CubicPV. “We thank SCG Cleanergy for their confidence in our manufacturing goals and product roadmap.”

Researchers China's Nanjing University, University of Science and technology of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have fabricated an all-perovskite tandem solar cell that is said to show lower interfacial non-radiative recombination and improved charge extraction.

All-perovskite tandem cells could have efficiencies similar to those of tandem perovskite-silicon devices, but with better flexibility, lighter weight, and a lower environmental impact than technologies relying on silicon wafers. The research team explained that their all-perovskite tandem solar cells can be used in power station power generation, rooftop photovoltaic, water catalytic decomposition, carbon dioxide catalytic decomposition, and space applications due to their high open circuit voltage and high efficiency.

India-based P3C Technology and Solutions has announced a fund raise of $250,000 with a further commitment of $3 million based on successful trails. The funds will be used to demonstrate the flexible perovskite solar cells to various government and private bodies like Indian Railway and automobile manufacturers. 

According to P3C, the investment comes from Oberoi Thermit Private Limited, a company with an impressive history of introducing new and innovative products and services which are highly beneficial for Railways. The organization is always looking to introduce new and improved technologies in India which can benefit the country. They are responsible for the introduction of some of the most safety critical technologies in Indian Railways like 3D Scanning of Bridge bed, Bridge Health Monitoring, Vehicular Ultrasonic Testing of rails, Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing of welds amongst other things. 

Researchers from Ames National Laboratory worked with scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH Zurich) to understand how to assemble perovskites (that are shaped as nanocubes) with other sphere-shaped nanocrystals. 

The scientists used the Expanse supercomputer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego to identity the general rules that enable the assembly of nanocubes like perovskites with spherical nanoparticles. Ultimately, they conducted a study to assist with the design of future nanoparticle-based materials. Their recent paper provides details on both their results and problems when pairing the perovskites with spherical nanocrystals.

Researchers from the CEA at INES, ENEL Green Power and its subsidiary 3SUN in Catania, are developing tandem perovskite technology on silicon with two terminals to achieve the highest yields that can be industrialized as quickly as possible. They have announced a new record for a PIN architecture cell with a conversion efficiency of 27.1% on 9 cm² with shading correction.

The CEA and 3SUN had previously reported results of 26.5%, for the same tandem cell of PIN architecture on 9cm² and with shading correction. The device with an active area of ​​9 cm² has a Voc greater than 1900 mV.