Residual Film Stresses in Perovskite Solar Cells: Origins, Effects, and Mitigation Strategies

Metal halide perovskites are an emerging class of materials that are promising for low-cost and high-quality next-generation optoelectronic devices. Despite this potential, perovskites suffer from poor thermomechanical and chemical stability that must be overcome before the technology is commercially viable. Key sources of the instabilities in perovskites are ion migration and defects that can be tied to high residual stresses accumulated in the perovskite thin films during processing. This Mini-Review serves as a general overview of residual thin-film stresses, specifically in perovskite solar cells. A brief introduction to the origin of residual stresses in thin films is followed by the effects of these stresses in perovskite films specifically. Mitigation strategies for these stresses are then highlighted, followed by potential avenues of further exploration of residual stresses in perovskite films.