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Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered to be the most promising third-generation photovoltaic (PV) technology with the most rapid rate of increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE). To date, their PCE values are comparable to the established photovoltaic technologies such as crystalline silicon. Intensive research activities associated with PSCs have been being performed, since 2009, aiming to further boost the device performance in terms of efficiency and stability via different strategies in order to accelerate the progress of commercialization. The emerging 2D black phosphorus (BP) is a novel class of semiconducting material owing to its unique characteristics, allowing them to become attractive materials for applications in a variety of optical and electronic devices, which have been comprehensively reviewed in the literature. However, comprehensive reviews focusing on the application of BP in PSCs are scarce in the community. This review discusses the research works with the incorporation of BP as a functional material in PSCs. The methodology as well as the effects of employing BP in different regions of PSCs are summarized. Further challenges and potential research directions are also highlighted.

Outstanding material properties allowed perovskite solar cells’ power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceed 25% within a decade, demonstrating the most rapid increase rate in PCEs among all the existing photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Despite such significant progress perovskite technology commercialization requires further enhancement in device performance. Here, we report a strategy for optimizing interfacial quality of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The interfacial layer between the electron transport layer (ETL) and the perovskite absorber were optimized by interface engineering technique via preparing the ETL consisted of Tin(IV) oxide (SnO2) quantum dots (QDs), SnO2 nanoparticle (NP) and a passivation layer based on Poly(methyl methacrylate): [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PMMA:PCBM). It was demonstrated that the PSCs with a single-layer ETL made of SnO2 QDs exhibit strong I-V hysteresis, while the application of a triple-layer ETL effectively suppresses the hysteresis due to the optimization of ETL/perovskite interface. This work demonstrated the effective protocol which can substantially improve the performance of PSCs and eliminate the I-V hysteresis.

In the conventional sandwich structure of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with the metallic electrodes, the parasitic absorption losses due to the presence of glass substrate, conductive metal oxides and other functional layers below the perovskite film reduce a certain portion of photons that can be harvested by the perovskite absorber. The carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with down-converting properties can absorb high-energy UV light and convert them into the photons with lower energy lying in the visible light region. The CQDs can be used to enhance the light harvesting power of the PSCs so that the negative effect due to the parasitic absorption can be suppressed. In this work, a coating layer composed of CQDs is deposited on the illuminated side of the glass substrate. In contrast to our previous report, the deionized water (DIW) is used to disperse the CQDs instead of dispersing CQDs in the matrix of PMMA and chlorobenzene (CB). By using the new approach, the preparation of CQD coatings is more efficient and the use of toxic CB can be avoided. After systematic optimization of the preparation parameters, it is found that using water as the dispersion medium for CQDs can also yield the effective coatings for PSCs to enhance their light absorption power.