Solar RRL最新文献

Despite being one of the most promising candidates for emerging market opportunities, all-vacuum-deposited perovskite solar cells (PSCs) still suffer from significant efficiency limitations, primarily due to open-circuit voltage (V_OC) losses caused by interfacial defects at the top surface of the perovskite layer. In this work, we demonstrate PSCs fabricated via a simple, sandwich-type all-vacuum thermal evaporation process, incorporating an ultrathin (6 nm) MS-OC (spiro[fluorene-9,9′-phenanthrene-10′-one] incorporated with o-phenylcarbazole) hole transport layer (HTL) as a growth template for hybrid metal–halide perovskites. To mitigate V_OC losses and better understand the interfacial charge dynamics, we systematically investigate various electron transport materials (ETMs), with a particular focus on C₆₀, LiF, and coevaporated C₆₀:LiF (1:1). Our results reveal that the C₆₀:LiF (1:1) coevaporation strategy not only suppresses fullerene aggregation but also effectively passivates the perovskite surface, thereby reducing nonradiative recombination and enhancing V_OC by 23.37%. As a result, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the PSCs improved by 29.34%, reaching a PCE of 13.4% with low nonradiative loss (~135 mV). More importantly, this composite passivation approach significantly enhanced the device's environmental stability, maintaining 90% of its initial efficiency after 600 h of operation.

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have become a research hotspot in the photovoltaic field due to their advantages of light weight, good flexibility and large-scale production. The layer-by-layer (LbL) spin coating method is an effective strategy for the preparation of high-performance OSCs. Compared with bulk heterojunction (BHJ) structure, the donor (D) and acceptor (A) materials are deposited sequentially in the LBL structure, forming a p-i-n-like structure, which promote charge generation and extraction. Furthermore, the unique advantage of the LbL structure in independently processing become a promising method for large-scale printing OSCs. In this paper, some representative works of LbL OSCs are summarized, focusing on the working mechanism, structural features, and device optimization method of LbL OSCs. Finally, an outlook on the application of large-scale photovoltaic device and the development of high-performance LbL OSCs are made.

All-inorganic CsPbBr₃ perovskite have shown remarkable stability under humidity, thermal, and oxygen exposure compared with organic–inorganic hybrid counterparts. Its intrinsic stability, along with the wide bandgap, is particularly suited for multijunction tandem devices. However, its wide bandgap (≈2.3 eV) is not translated to high voltage in CsPbBr₃ perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and its performance is limited by the interface and surface defects. In this study, we explore the vacuum-deposited cadmium chloride (CdCl₂)-based interface passivation strategy in vacuum-deposited CsPbBr₃ devices. Following thermal evaporation of CsPbBr₃, a thin layer of CdCl₂ is evaporated, and an optimized annealing method is used to promote the diffusion of both Cd²⁺ and Cl⁻ ions into the CsPbBr₃ perovskite lattice, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling. Specifically, Cd²⁺ ions substitute Pb²⁺ sites, while Cl⁻ ions replace Br⁻ anions within the crystal structure. This leads to the formation of larger perovskite grains, passivating grain boundaries, and enhancing film quality. The CdCl₂ treated films exhibit a threefold increase in average grain size with superior homogeneity. The open-circuit voltage of PSC increased from 1.61 V for the control device to a record-high 1.70 V for the vacuum-deposited CsPbBr₃ device with the optimized CdCl₂ layer.

Photothermocatalysis offers a green and sustainable pathway for biomass resource utilization. Herein, a catalyst (denoted as Ni/Ce_2.5–S) of Ni dispersed on amorphous mesoporous SiO₂ modified by trace CeO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) was prepared. By photothermocatalytic cellulose steam reforming on Ni/Ce_2.5–S, high production rates of H₂ and CO (3283.9 and 1918.0 mmol g_catalyst⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively) are achieved. The excellent photothermocatalytic performance originates from the formation of NiOCe bonds due to the partial surface reconstruction of CeO₂ NPs by Ni modification, which donate plentiful active lattice oxygen (O_L) to the reaction. Moreover, the resulting oxygen vacancies (O_V) enhance H₂O adsorption, thus facilitating the involvement of H₂O in the reaction, effectively suppressing byproducts formation, and improving syngas yield. Concurrently, Ni NPs function as broadband plasmonic absorbers that convert solar photons into intense local heat, while the excitation of photon-induced NiO bonds, particularly NiOCe bonds, notably promotes the decomposition of carbonaceous intermediates (C_xH_yO_z), their subsequent reaction with H₂O, and the steam gasification of char. These effects collectively drive exceptional photothermocatalytic performance.

The application of inorganic Cs-based perovskites in solar cells (PSCs) has gained increasing attention as a viable alternative to hybrid organic–inorganic counterparts. However, their device performance and stability remain limited by interfacial and intrinsic material instabilities. To address these challenges, a solution-processed MgO layer is employed for interfacial engineering at the ZnO/CsPbI₂Br interface. Incorporating MgO onto the ZnO electron transport layer (ETL) leads to significant improvements, including enlarged perovskite grain size, reduced trap density, and enhanced electron mobility. Moreover, the incorporation of MgO increases the conduction-band energy offset at the ETL/perovskite junction, resulting in a consistently higher open-circuit voltage of PSCs. Stability assessments show that MgO-incorporated devices exhibit significantly improved shelf lifetime. The MgO-incorporated PSC, without encapsulation, stabilizes at an efficiency of 15.3% during a 10 000 s current–time test under maximum power point bias, compared to 10.4% for the control device. Furthermore, proton-irradiation tests simulating the low Earth orbit conditions demonstrate that MgO-incorporated devices retain their initial efficiency after 11 weeks, whereas control devices decline to 47% of their initial value. Overall, this work highlights the crucial role of MgO in interfacial engineering for inorganic Cs-based PSCs and provides valuable insights for the development of cost-effective, radiation-tolerant, and stable photovoltaic devices.

Lanthanum iron oxide (LaFeO₃) exhibits strong ultraviolet (UV) absorption, making its photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance highly dependent on the spectral overlap between illumination and its absorption profile. In this work, the PEC behavior of LaFeO₃ thin films was investigated under two illumination sources: a xenon arc lamp with broadband emission, including UV photons, and a light-emitting diode (LED) lamp with negligible UV contribution. The structural and optoelectronic properties of the films were tuned by varying the number of spin-coated layers, and charge carrier dynamics were analyzed to quantify recombination rates and carrier lifetimes. PEC measurements were further optimized using O₂-saturated electrolytes, considering the catalytic role of LaFeO₃ in oxygen reduction. Under xenon arc lamp illumination with O₂ purging, the photocurrent density initially reached ∼ 0.58 mA cm⁻² and stabilized at ∼ 0.39 mA cm⁻² after 3 h, significantly outperforming other illumination and environmental conditions. These results highlight the critical role of illumination spectra and electrolyte environment in modulating charge separation and transport, offering guidelines for enhancing the practical PEC performance of LaFeO₃ based photoelectrodes.

Perovskite-type BiFeO₃ (BFO) has been considered as a promising candidate for photoelectrochemical cells due to its suitable band alignment, robust ferroelectric behavior, and good chemical stability. However, the photoelectrochemical performance of BFO is limited by poor photon utilization and severe charge carrier losses. In this work, the Bi³⁺ sites of p-type BFO thin films are substitutionally doped by Ag⁺ to improve their photon absorption and bulk carrier transport, thereby enhancing photoelectrochemical responses. The results show that Ag doping reduces the bandgap of BFO photocathodes, broadening spectral absorption. Furthermore, Ag doping regulates the growth of BFO grains to form the films composed of single-layer grains, which effectively reduces bulk charge recombination associated with grain boundaries. Also, the bulk charge transport is further improved by the increase in majority carrier density induced by Ag doping. As a result, the photocurrent density of 6% Ag-doped BFO photocathodes reaches −0.88 mA·cm⁻² at 0.5 V vs RHE in O₂-saturated electrolytes, which is more than 5 times higher than that of pristine BFO photocathodes. This study lays a solid foundation for facilitating efficient solar fuel generation based on BFO photocathodes.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as promising next-generation photovoltaics, offering high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and low-cost potential. The properties of their internal interfaces are critical determinants for device performance of both PCE and long-term stability. This review focuses on the five core functions of interfacial layers including: (1) optimizing energy level alignment to facilitate efficient charge transport, (2) passivating defects to suppress nonradiative recombination, (3) regulating carrier dynamics to enhance charge utilization, (4) inhibiting ion migration to improve structural stability, and (5) forming environmental barriers to prevent detrimental substance exchange. We systematically discuss these functions across four key interfaces in standard layered PSCs: the transparent conductive oxide/electron transport layer (ETL), the ETL/perovskite, the perovskite/hole transport layer (HTL), and the HTL/top electrode. We emphasize the synergistic optimization of these interfaces is paramount for achieving devices with high efficiency and robust stability. Finally, we outline future research directions, highlighting the need for holistic multi-interface engineering, the development of adaptive materials for stability, and the simplification of fabrication processes for scalable production. A concerted effort toward these goals will advance PSCs toward commercialization, fulfilling the dual requirements of high performance and long-term stability in an environmentally benign and cost-effective manner.

Despite poly (heptazine imide) (PHI) being able to reduce the undesirable structural defects in conventional polymerized amorphous carbon nitride, achieving precise control of ideal defects and high photocatalytic hydrogen yields remains a challenge. Herein, we incorporated a controlled intrinsic COOH groups with well-defined density and location into the highly condensed PHI framework. The density of the COOH groups can be precisely regulated by simply adjusting the mass ratio of the precursors KSCN to polymeric carbon nitride. Further investigations indicate that these COOH groups enable the p-orbital electrons of O atoms to couple with the vacant d-orbitals of Pt, facilitating spatial separation of trapped electrons at COOH from the crystalline bulk. Moreover, a correlation between accurate COOH density with H₂O adsorption was established, attributed to varying hydrogen bonds. As a result, these synergistic factors drive the photocatalytic water splitting process within PHI-COOH, resulting in a remarkable H₂ evolution rate of up to 1040.3 μmol h⁻¹, which is approximately 129 times higher than that of the pristine PHI.

Thin-Film Solar Cells

In article number 2500699, Randy J. Ellingson, Yanfa Yan, Zhaoning Song, and co-workers explore the proton radiation hardness of emerging antimony chalcogenide thin film solar cells. The devices exhibit high remaining values of photovoltaic characteristic parameters after exposure to a high displacement-damage dose. End-of-life simulations highlight the potential of antimony chalcogenide solar cells for space power applications in high-proton-exposure environments.