Bridging the Lab-to-Fab Gaps: Recent Advances in the Reproducibility of Organic Solar Cells

Abstract

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have achieved remarkable efficiency breakthroughs, demonstrating significant commercialization potential. However, the transition from lab-scale devices to industrial modules remains hindered by considerable efficiency gaps attributing to inadequate device reproducibility. This review systematically examines strategies to enhance OSC reproducibility through coordinated material and processing optimizations. We first analyze material design and synthesis, focusing on reducing batch-to-batch variations in polymers, small molecules, single-component materials and synthesis procedures. Subsequently, we discuss film preparation advancements including coating methods, solvent/additive engineering, and post-treatment process. Additionally, interfacial layer and electrode optimization efforts are also evaluated for their reproducibility impacts. Finally, we outline the critical challenges of facilitating device reproducibility and highlight the possible development direction. By synthesizing progress in OSC device reproducibility, this work underscores pathways to bridge lab-to-fab gaps via material synthesis and device fabrication, providing actionable insights to accelerate the commercial application of high-performance OSCs.