Alkali Additives Enable Efficient Large Area (>55 cm2) Slot-Die Coated Perovskite Solar Modules

Typical fabrication methods for laboratory-scale (<1 cm(2)) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are undeniably not scalable and the control of crystallization of large-area perovskite layer for commercial sized modules is also particularly challenging. Here, a seed-assisted crystallization approach is demonstrated through addition of alkali salts, CsPbBr3 and KPb2Br5, to the perovskite precursor ink for enabling homogeneous and highly crystalline large-area Cs(0.15)FA(0.85)Pb(I0.83Br0.17)(3) (CsFA) perovskite films via scalable slot-die coating technique. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis reveals the segregation of potassium ions at SnO2/perovskite interface which serve as nucleation sites for the crystallization of perovskite layer. The uniformly slot-die coated CsFA films (100 cm(2)) from the additives containing precursor inks possess larger grains with enhanced optoelectronic properties and the corresponding devices display higher reproducibility and consistency. A champion device efficiency of 18.94% under 1 sun illumination for slot-die coated PSCs in n-type/intrinsic/p-type structure is demonstrated with improved stability with 82% of its initial efficiency tested at 65 degrees C for 1150 h. The slot-die coated methylammonium-free perovskite module with an active area of 57.5 cm(2) shows an efficiency of 16.22% and retains 82% of its initial efficiency after 4800 h under 30% relative humidity without encapsulation.

Automated summary

A seed-assisted crystallization approach using alkali salts has been demonstrated to enable the fabrication of large-area and highly crystalline perovskite films. The slot-die coated perovskite films show improved optoelectronic properties and stability.