November 2024

According to reports, SolaEon Technology recently made a breakthrough in the field of perovskite solar cells. Certified by the National Photovoltaic Industry Measurement and Testing Center, SolaEon Technology has increased the conversion efficiency of a perovskite unit cell (1 square centimeter) to 26.14%, which it says is a record for the power conversion efficiency of single-junction perovskite solar cells. This achievement follows their previous record set in April 2024 with an efficiency of 25.64%, maintaining the world record for power conversion efficiency within six months.

Image credit: SolaEon Technology

Looking ahead, SolaEon Technology will work to deepen its research and development in formulations and processes, dedicated to solving technical challenges and continuously improving the conversion efficiency and stability of its products. 

Researchers from the University of Oxford, University of Manchester,  University of Sheffield and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have developed a high volatility, low toxicity, biorenewable solvent system to fabricate a range of 2D perovskites, which can be used as effective precursor phases for subsequent transformation to α-formamidinium lead triiodide (α-FAPbI₃), fully processed under ambient conditions. 

This solvent system is meant to address challenges involved with producing perovskite solar cells (PSCs) via high-throughput coating methods, such as the use of harmful solvents, the expense of maintaining controlled atmospheric conditions, and the inherent instabilities of PSCs under operation. 

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, led by Associate Professor Nripan Mathews of NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, have synthesized four unique types of 2D halide perovskites.

Dr. Ayan Zhumekenov, a research fellow at the school and lead author of the study, used a novel approach to create the new perovskites by incorporating dimethyl carbonate – a non-toxic solvent – into methylammonium-based perovskite crystals. By analyzing the new crystal structures, the scientists discovered that the structures’ band gap could be tuned by adjusting the ratio of methylammonium to dimethyl carbonate in them. The band gap, which determines 
the color of the material, is the energy required for an electron to break free from its bound state and become conductive.

Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), the University of Manchester and Marvell Semiconductor have developed an innovative high-speed photodetector design utilizing ultrathin two-dimensional metal halide perovskites (2D-MHP), coupled with a planar nanocavity to significantly enhance optical absorptance—achieving more than a fourfold increase in a solution-processed 10-nm-thick 2D-MHP film. 

This integration facilitates an exceptional response time (30 ns) alongside a high responsivity of 2.12 A W⁻¹. The method is said to overcome traditional constraints related to thickness and absorption, thereby optimizing device speed and dark noise features through active area variation.

The fabrication of perovskite/Si tandem solar cells often encounters the challenge of selecting a suitable sputtering buffer layer (SBL) to prevent damage during the transparent electrode deposition. In their recent work, researchers from China's Northwestern Polytechnical University and Shaanxi Joint Laboratory of Graphene (NPU), Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ningbo New Materials Testing and Evaluation Center Co. developed a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell that uses an indium oxide sputtering buffer layer to protect the perovskite absorber and the electron transport layer from damages that might occur during the electrode deposition process. The new layer not only granted this protection but also showed strong optical and electrical properties. 

The team introduced the indium oxide (In₂O₃) buffer layer via e-beam deposition to fabricate semi-transparent perovskite solar cells. The optical transmittance and electrical conductivity of In₂O₃ highly depend on the deposition rate. High deposition rate results in high ratio of metallic indium in the film, which causes severe parasitic absorption. A 20 nm-thick In₂O₃ film deposited at lower rate demonstrated high conductivity, transmittance and robust protection during sputtering. 

Power Roll, developer of flexible PVs that feature  a unique combination of microgrooves and perovskites, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Amcor, a global packaging solutions provider.

Power Roll and Amcor’s collaboration will be focused on advancing solar-powered energy by developing a lightweight solar photovoltaic film that aims to deliver a low-cost alternative to silicon solar panels. The company has a clear focus on capitalizing on growing market opportunities, focusing on the commercialization of its solar PV microgroove technology, which is not reliant on rare earth minerals and can be manufactured using roll-to-roll processes.

An international team of researchers, led by the University of Surrey with Imperial College London, recently reported a strategy to improve both the performance and stability for perovskite solar cells by mitigating a previously hidden degradation pathway.

In their new study, the scientists detail how they produced lead-tin perovskite solar cells that reach more than 23% power conversion efficiency (PCE) – which the team says is one of the best results achieved with this material and importantly, a design strategy which improves the lifetime of these devices by 66%. 

Bifacial perovskite solar cells (Bi-PSCs) have attracted substantial attention due to their potential for enhanced power generation, suitability for integration into building structures and applicability in multijunction PV systems. Recently, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay reported the fabrication of efficient Bi-PSCs and investigated their unique properties using various characterization techniques, including Lambertian reflection effects through tilt angle arrangements and bottom albedo illuminations. 

The control device achieved a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.46% under front-side 1 Sun AM1.5G illumination. A significant influence of ground Lambertian reflection was observed with tilt angle variations, resulting in an increase in PCE from 17.46% → 18.82% as the tilt angle reached 20°. Additionally, enhancing the rear-side albedo to 0.5 Sun yielded a maximum PCE of 26% with a bifaciality factor of ∼90% at a tilt angle of 20°. 

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) researchers believe that the issue of instability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) primarily originates from the migration of halide ions—particularly iodide ions (I⁻). Under light exposure and thermal stress, I⁻ migrates and transforms into I₂, leading to irreversible degradation and performance loss. 

To tackle this challenge, the team introduced the additive 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole,5,6-difluoro-4,7-bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl) (BT2F-2B) into the perovskite. The strong coordination between the unhybridized p orbital and lone-pair electrons from I⁻ inhibits the deprotonation of MAI/FAI and the subsequent conversion of I⁻ to I₂. The highly electronegative fluorine enhances its electrostatic interaction with I⁻. Consequently, the synergistic effect of BT2F-2B effectively suppresses the decomposition of perovskite and the defect density of the iodide vacancies. 

Researchers at Finland's Aalto University and Tampere University have developed an encapsulation method for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to address both optical performance losses at the air-cell interface and intrinsic and extrinsic stability challenges. The team's one-step method provides PSCs with shielding from oxygen and moisture-induced degradation as well as in situ patterning for light management. 

In the new method, the entire surface and sides of the solar cells were coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and the front-facing surface of the PSC was in situ–patterned using a soft lithography technique. A replica of leek leaf surface structures was created on the PDMS to reduce reflection and increase haze. The scientists explained that leek leaf replicas, previously used as add-on layers for PSC devices, have shown promise due to their optical and self-cleaning properties.