Inorganic Hole Transport Materials for Advancing n-i-p Perovskite Solar Cells: A Comprehensive Review

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Photovoltaics

Background:

• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) show rapid advancement with high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and low costs.
• The regular (n-i-p) PSC architecture is a benchmark, especially for inorganic hole transport layers (HTLs), due to high PCEs and well-defined energy levels.
• Organic HTLs like spiro-OMeTAD face limitations in stability, cost, and scalability, driving interest in inorganic alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review recent progress in inorganic HTLs for n-i-p PSCs.
• To explore various inorganic materials, including metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, and emerging compounds.
• To analyze critical aspects of HTLs influencing PSC performance, stability, and commercial viability.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of inorganic HTLs for n-i-p PSCs.
• Focus on material properties such as optical characteristics, energy gap, and band alignment.
• Analysis of deposition techniques and interfacial engineering strategies.

Main Results:

• Inorganic HTLs offer promising alternatives to organic counterparts, addressing stability and scalability concerns.
• Metal oxides and metal chalcogenides are key material classes showing significant advancements.
• Optimized optical properties, band alignment, and interfacial engineering are crucial for high PCEs and device longevity.

Conclusions:

• Inorganic HTLs are vital for developing efficient, stable, and scalable n-i-p PSCs.
• Further research into material design and interfacial strategies is needed to overcome current challenges.
• This review provides a foundation for future advancements in inorganic HTL development for next-generation photovoltaics.