Hybrid chemical vapor deposition enables scalable and stable Cs-FA mixed cation perovskite solar modules with a designated area of 91.8 cm2 approaching 10% efficiency

Abstract

The development of scalable deposition methods for stable perovskite layers is a prerequisite for the development and future commercialization of perovskite solar modules. However, there are two major challenges, i.e., scalability and stability. In sharp contrast to a previous report, here we develop a fully vapor based scalable hybrid chemical vapor deposition (HCVD) process for depositing Cs-formamidinium (FA) mixed cation perovskite films, which alleviates the problem encountered when using conventional solution coating of mainly methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃). Using our HCVD method, we fabricate perovskite films of Cs_0.1FA_0.9PbI_2.9Br_0.1 with enhanced thermal and phase stabilities, by the intimate incorporation of Cs into FA based perovskite films. In addition, the SnO₂ electron transport layer (ETL) (prepared by sputter deposition) is found to be damaged during the HCVD process. In combination with precise interface engineering of the SnO₂ ETL, we demonstrate relatively large area solar modules with efficiency approaching 10% and with a designated area of 91.8 cm² fabricated on 10 cm × 10 cm substrates (14 cells in series). On the basis of our preliminary operational stability tests on encapsulated perovskite solar modules, we extrapolated that the T₈₀ lifetime is approximately 500 h (under the light illumination of 1 sun and 25 °C).