Issue 11, 2020

Recombination junctions for efficient monolithic perovskite-based tandem solar cells: physical principles, properties, processing and prospects

Abstract

Crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells comprise more than 95% of the photovoltaics (PV) market. At wafer-scale, this technology is gradually reaching its practical power conversion efficiency (PCE) limit. Therefore, new performance-driven and scalable alternatives must be developed to further increase the cost-competitiveness of PV. Stacked PV absorbers with decreasing bandgaps in a tandem configuration utilize more efficiently the solar spectrum, and can thereby overcome the single-junction efficiency limit of conventional solar cells. Specifically, the monolithic, two-terminal tandem solar cell implementation promises a simple, yet high-performance technology with high market-relevance. Metal-halide perovskite absorbers have attracted broad interest in their application as the top cell of such a c-Si based tandem solar cell configuration. Practically, the perovskite and c-Si subcells need to be electronically coupled, where the interfacial structure should guarantee efficient charge recombination of majority carriers (collected from each subcell), without inducing minority-carrier recombination. In this article, we review the mechanism underlying efficient recombination junctions, and discuss available materials systems for perovskite-based tandems, as well as additional requirements such as efficient light coupling into the subcells, processing compatibility, scalability of materials and methods, and stability. We extend our discussion beyond c-Si to thin-film bottom cell technologies such as low-bandgap perovskites and chalcogenides. We conclude with an outlook on considerations for industrialization of such interfacial structures.

Graphical abstract: Recombination junctions for efficient monolithic perovskite-based tandem solar cells: physical principles, properties, processing and prospects

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
16 jun 2020
Accepted
08 sep 2020
First published
11 sep 2020
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Horiz., 2020,7, 2791-2809

Recombination junctions for efficient monolithic perovskite-based tandem solar cells: physical principles, properties, processing and prospects

M. De Bastiani, A. S. Subbiah, E. Aydin, F. H. Isikgor, T. G. Allen and S. De Wolf, Mater. Horiz., 2020, 7, 2791 DOI: 10.1039/D0MH00990C

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