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Emerging photovoltaics (PVs) focus on a variety of applications complementing large scale electricity generation. Organic, dye‐sensitized, and some perovskite solar cells are considered in building integration, greenhouses, wearable, and indoor applications, thereby motivating research on flexible, transparent, semitransparent, and multi‐junction PVs. Nevertheless, it can be very time consuming to find or develop an up‐to‐date overview of the state‐of‐the‐art performance for these systems and applications. Two important resources for recording research cells efficiencies are the National Renewable Energy Laboratory chart and the efficiency tables compiled biannually by Martin Green and colleagues. Both publications provide an effective coverage over the established technologies, bridging research and industry. An alternative approach is proposed here summarizing the best reports in the diverse research subjects for emerging PVs. Best performance parameters are provided as a function of the photovoltaic bandgap energy for each technology and application, and are put into perspective using, e.g., the Shockley–Queisser limit. In all cases, the reported data correspond to published and/or properly described certified results, with enough details provided for prospective data reproduction. Additionally, the stability test energy yield is included as an analysis parameter among state‐of‐the‐art emerging PVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskite solar cells have an appropriate bandgap (1.5–1.6 eV), and thus output voltage (>1 V), to directly drive solar water splitting. Despite significant progress, their moisture sensitivity still hampers their application for integrated monolithic devices. Furthermore, the prevalence of the use of noble metals as co‐catalysts for existing perovskite‐based devices undermines their use for low‐cost H2 production. Here, a monolithic architecture for stable perovskite‐based devices with earth‐abundant co‐catalysts is reported, demonstrating an unassisted overall solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency of 8.54%. The device layout consists of two monolithically encapsulated perovskite (FA0.80MA0.15Cs0.05PbI2.55Br0.45) solar cells with low‐cost earth‐abundant CoP and FeNi(OH)x co‐catalysts as the photocathode and photoanode, respectively. The CoP‐based photocathode demonstrates more than 17 h of continuous operation, with a photocurrent density of 12.4 mA cm−2 at 0 V and an onset potential as positive as ≈1 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The FeNi(OH)x‐based photoanode achieves a photocurrent of 11 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus RHE for more than 13 h continuous operation. These excellent stability and performance demonstrate the potential for monolithic integration of perovskite solar cells and low‐cost earth‐abundant co‐catalysts for efficient direct solar H2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halide based lead perovskites are recently being explored as efficient light harvesters for optoelectronics devices. Here, some new insights on the self‐charging and energy‐storage of triple cation FA0.80MA0.15Cs0.05PbI2.55Br0.45 (FMCPIB) perovskites based devices with the application for self‐powered chemical sensing are presented. It is demonstrated that under light irradiation a self‐powered FMCPIB based device can detect particle per million (ppm) concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with a swift response and recovery time of ≈17 and ≈126 s at room temperature, respectively. Most notably, the energy‐storage feature enables FMCPIB based devices like a photo‐capacitor, and then remain operational for another 1.7 h in darkness for the detection of NO2 without external power supply. Besides, the FMCPIB based devices can also be operated with a 1 V bias achieving a detection limit 0.2 ppm of NO2 at room temperature. Through analysis, it reveals that the high performance for NO2 can be ascribed to the special NO2‐amine interaction with the cations of FMCPIB and the storage capacitance might be due to the accumulation of charges at the TiO2/FMCPIB/carbon interfaces under light irradiation. These appealing features of FMCPIB perovskites based chemical sensors might find potential applications in monitoring of toxic gas emission and public space safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halide perovskite materials are excellent light harvesters that have generated enormous interest for photovoltaic technology and an increasing number of other optoelectronic applications. Very recently, their use for miniaturized chemical sensors has shown a promising room-temperature response. Here, we present some insights on the use of CsPbBr2I (CPBI) perovskites for self-powered room-temperature sensing of several environmentally and medically relevant compounds demonstrating rapid detection of down to concentrations of 1 ppm. Notably, the photocurrent of these self-powered CPBI-based devices increases under exposure to both reducing (e.g. acetone, propane) and oxidizing (e.g. NO2, O2) gas molecules and decreases rapidly upon reverting to an inert atmosphere. In situ photoluminescence (PL) analysis of the CPBI during exposure to oxidizing molecules reveals a strongly increased PL intensity and longer lifetime indicating a prevalent role of CPBI trap states in the sensing mechanism. These findings provide new insights for the engineering of perovskite-based materials for their future chemical sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Perovskite solar cells have demonstrated efficiencies over 20%, but this has not been reproduced at large areas. We explore the theoretical limit to single large area perovskite solar cell efficiency, with different front conductive layers: first, the standard n‐i‐p structure with a transparent conductive electrode (TCE) at the substrate, and then structures that include a front metal grid. We model and optimize the impact of the thickness of the TCE and the dimensions of the grid elements to balance series resistance, parasitic absorption in the TCE layer, and shading losses to maximize efficiency. The results of the optimization suggest that the efficiency of the standard design can be significantly improved simply by selecting the optimum TCE thicknesses for the cell size. However, the poor scaling of the standard design prevents the fabrication of efficient large area cells. Adding a metal grid allows the efficiency of large area cells (156 mm × 156 mm) to approach that of small cells and exceed 20%. The maximum efficiency is limited by the minimum width of the metal grid elements and the sheet resistance of the metal grid material. In this context, the performances of fluorine‐doped tin oxide and indium tin oxide as TCE materials were compared, with indium tin oxide found to be superior. We also explore the limits of performance when connecting multiple cells in series to form a large area minimodule and determine the conditions when a front grid is beneficial. Design rules are presented that allow researchers to calculate the optimum cell parameters for high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Consolidated tables showing an extensive listing of the highest independently confirmed efficiencies for solar cells and modules are presented. Guidelines for inclusion of results into these tables are outlined and new entries since January 2018 are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consolidated tables showing an extensive listing of the highest independently confirmed efficiencies for solar cells and modules are presented. Guidelines for inclusion of results into these tables are outlined, and new entries since June 2016 are reviewed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hole‐transport‐material‐free planar solar cell of cesium lead mixed halide perovskite (CsPbIBr2) is deposited by dual source thermal evaporation for the first time, achieving an efficiency of 4.7%. The addition of iodine into the bromide lowers the bandgap resulting in wider solar spectrum absorption. Compared to the hybrid halide perovskites, CsPbIBr2 demonstrates better thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskite solar cells have achieved tremendous progress and have attracted enormous research and development efforts since the first report of demonstration in 2009. Due to fabrication versatility, many heat treatment methods can be utilized to achieve perovskite film crystallization. Herein, 10.6 µm carbon dioxide laser process is successfully developed for the first time for perovskite film crystallization. In addition, this is the first time formamidinium lead triiodide solar cells by laser annealing under ambient are demonstrated. The champion cell produces a power conversion efficiency of 21.8%, the highest for laser-annealed perovskite cells. And this is achieved without any additive, passivation, or post-treatment., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

We show quantum interference effects can enhance coherent electron transmission in perovskite tandem solar cells using ultrathin indium tin oxide (ITO) layers. We develop a model for the behavior of the power conversion efficiency based on a finite difference time domain solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The modeled potential includes an imaginary part to simulate probability loss by incoherent scattering. The results agree with observations of efficiency as a function of ITO thickness, suggesting an optimized design.

Halide perovskite materials are excellent light harvesters that have generated enormous interest for photovoltaic technology and an increasing number of other optoelectronic applications. Very recently, their use for miniaturized chemical sensors has shown a promising room-temperature response. Here, we present some insights on the use of CsPbBr2I (CPBI) perovskites for self-powered room-temperature sensing of several environmentally and medically relevant compounds demonstrating rapid detection of down to concentrations of 1 ppm. Notably, the photocurrent of these self-powered CPBI-based devices increases under exposure to both reducing (e.g. acetone, propane) and oxidizing (e.g. NO2, O2) gas molecules and decreases rapidly upon reverting to an inert atmosphere. In situ photoluminescence (PL) analysis of the CPBI during exposure to oxidizing molecules reveals a strongly increased PL intensity and longer lifetime indicating a prevalent role of CPBI trap states in the sensing mechanism. These findings provide new insights for the engineering of perovskite-based materials for their future chemical sensing applications.

This paper provides deep understanding of the formation mechanism of perovskite film fabricated by sequential solution-based methods. It compares two sequential spin-coating methods for Cs 0.15 (MA 0.7 FA 0.3 ) 0.85 PbI 3 perovskite. First is the "static process," with a stoppage between the two spin-coating steps (1st PbI 2 -CsI-dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-dimethylformamide (DMF) and 2nd methylammonium iodide (MAI)-formamidinium iodide (FAI)-isopropyl alcohol). Second is the "dynamic process," where the 2nd precursor is dispensed while the substrate is still spinning from the 1st step. For the first time, such a dynamic process is used for Cs 0.15 (MA 0.7 FA 0.3 ) 0.85 PbI 3 perovskite. Characterizations reveal improved film formation with the dynamic process due to the "retainment" of DMSO-complex necessary for the intermediate phase which i) promotes intercalation between precursors and ii) slows down perovskite crystallization for full conversion. The comparison on as-deposited perovskite before annealing indicates a more ordered film using this dynamic process. This results in a thicker, more uniform film with higher degree of preferred crystal orientation and higher carrier lifetime after annealing. Therefore, dynamic-processed devices present better performance repeatability, achieving a higher average efficiency of 17.0% compared to static ones (15.0%). The new insights provided by this work are important for perovskite solar cells processed sequentially as the process has greater flexibility in resolving solvent incompatibility, allowing separate optimizations and allowing different deposition methods., (© 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)