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Methylammonium-free wide-bandgap metal halide perovskites for tandem photovoltaics

Nature Reviews Materials volume 8, pages 822–838 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Over the past decade, the performance of solar cells based on metal halide perovskite semiconductors has skyrocketed, now rivalling established technologies such as crystalline silicon. The most promising implementation of these perovskites is in tandem solar cells, which have delivered far higher power conversion efficiencies than single-junction devices alone. Given their tunable bandgap, perovskites are uniquely placed to act as both narrow-bandgap and wide-bandgap absorbers in tandem devices. Methylammonium-free wide-bandgap perovskites perform particularly poorly in tandem devices compared with their methylammonium-containing and narrower bandgap counterparts, illustrating considerable scope for improvement. In this Review, we highlight the challenges related to methylammonium-free perovskites, including the energy-loss pathways that currently constrain their open-circuit voltage and efficiency well below their thermodynamic limits. We discuss recent progress in their material development and performance in tandem photovoltaics, and we highlight research trends that seem particularly promising. Finally, we suggest future avenues to expedite the development of wide-bandgap perovskites and, in turn, the deployment of tandem solar cells based on these materials.

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Fig. 1: Tandem device physics.
Fig. 2: Halide segregation and voltage losses.
Fig. 3: Single-junction performance for methylammonium-free perovskite solar cells as a function of their bandgap.
Fig. 4: Compositional engineering.
Fig. 5: Interfacial passivation.
Fig. 6: Novel charge transport layers.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement no. 861985 (peroCUBE) and the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) EP/T025077/1 and EP/T012455/1. R.D.J.O. acknowledges the support of the Penrose Scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Alexandra J. Ramadan & Robert D. J. Oliver

  2. Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford, UK

    Alexandra J. Ramadan, Robert D. J. Oliver, Michael B. Johnston & Henry J. Snaith

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A.J.R. and R.D.J.O. contributed equally to the article. R.D.J.O. performed the simulations for the article. A.J.R. and R.D.J.O. researched data for the article. All authors contributed substantially to discussion of the content. A.J.R. wrote the article with input from R.D.J.O. All authors reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Alexandra J. Ramadan.

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H.J.S. is the co-founder and CSO of Oxford PV Ltd, a company that is commercializing perovskite photovoltaic technologies. A.J.R., R.D.J.O. and M.B.J. declare no competing interests.

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Ramadan, A.J., Oliver, R.D.J., Johnston, M.B. et al. Methylammonium-free wide-bandgap metal halide perovskites for tandem photovoltaics. Nat Rev Mater 8, 822–838 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-023-00610-9

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