Researchers from KAUST have found that perovskite thin films for use in solar cells are more effective when glycol ethers are added to the film-forming mix. "It yields more uniform thin films with improved structure and efficiency", explains the team.
"Our aim was to improve the quality of perovskite thin films," say the researchers. The team decided to add glycol ethers to the manufacturing process because they knew these chemicals had previously been used to help create layers of metal oxides. By trying different glycol ether mixtures and conditions the researchers eventually gained better control over the formation of their perovskite thin films, by significantly improving the structure and alignment of the perovskite grains. This increased the reproducibility and efficiency of the perovskites so that they performed more efficiently in solar cell applications. The procedure also operates at lower temperatures than alternatives, which is an important factor in improving cost effectiveness.
