Emerging Trends in Electron Transport Layer Development for Stable and Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

Area of Science:

• Photovoltaics
• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a rapidly advancing photovoltaic technology with efficiencies exceeding 26.1%.
• Electron transport materials (ETMs) play a critical role in the performance and long-term stability of PSCs.
• Optimizing ETMs is essential for overcoming current limitations in PSC technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the advancements in electron transport materials (ETMs) for perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
• To identify and discuss key challenges in ETM development, including grain structure, defect passivation, energy level alignment, and interfacial engineering.
• To highlight innovative ETMs and provide a comparative analysis for enhancing PSC efficiency and stability.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of recent advancements in ETMs for PSCs.
• Analysis of various ETMs, including metal oxides (TiO2, ZnO, SnO2), fullerenes, and non-fullerene organic materials.
• Evaluation of strategies for improving ETMs, such as defect passivation and interfacial engineering.

Main Results:

• Significant progress has been made in developing diverse ETMs for PSCs, including inorganic oxides and organic materials.
• Key challenges such as controlled grain structure, defect passivation, and energy level alignment are being addressed.
• Interfacial engineering and novel material design show promise for redefining charge transport.

Conclusions:

• Strategic development of n-type electron transport layers (ETLs) is vital for future PSC advancements.
• Optimized ETMs are crucial for achieving superior efficiency and long-term stability in PSCs.
• This review provides insights for the commercial deployment of high-performance perovskite solar cells.