Researchers at UC Santa Barbara, Pusan National University and Korea Electric Power Research Institute have introduced a simple approach to produce high-quality perovskite films at room temperature by precisely regulating the perovskite composition with the addition of an organic linker (oleylamine, OAm). This work aims to address the challenge presented by current processes for manufacturing PSCs - that tend to rely on high-temperature annealing and intricate post-treatments.
The team’s innovation not only simplified the production process but also increased the material’s efficiency from under 20% to 24.4%. The method enabled phase conversion to the stable α-phase without thermal annealing, as confirmed by in situ X-ray monitoring. The optimized device achieved impressive efficiencies of 23.2% (24.4% with an anti-reflective coating), surpassing efficiencies attained by previous room/low-temperature-processed PSCs.
By fine tuning the material’s chemical composition, the team developed a perovskite ink that created high-quality films much more effectively. “Our method follows the same procedures as the conventional one, except for omitting the two most time-consuming steps: thermal annealing and post-treatment,” said co-lead author Ahra Yi, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Santa Barbara. The simpler fabrication technique also meshes better with standard manufacturing processes and reduces the overall energy use, which lowers its carbon dioxide emissions.
The new procedure is also extremely gentle. To demonstrate this, the team prepared a perovskite layer on fresh leaves, a feat that was impossible with the previous, high-temperature process. “We thought this choice would be both eye-catching and symbolic, since solar cells mimic the photosynthetic process in leaves,” said Yi.
These findings offer insights into stabilizing the perovskite structure at room temperature, which could bring about advances in PV technology and sustainable light energy utilization.
