Perovskite solar cells by vapor deposition based and assisted methods

Metal halide perovskite solar cells have made significant breakthroughs in power conversion efficiency and operational stability in the last decade, thanks to the advancement of perovskite deposition methods. Solution-based methods have been intensively investigated and deliver record efficiencies. On the other hand, vapor deposition-based and assisted methods were less studied in the early years but have received more attention recently due to their great potential toward large-area solar module manufacturing and high batch-to-batch reproducibility. In addition, an in-depth understanding of perovskite crystallization kinetics during the vapor deposition based and assisted process allows increasing perovskite deposition rate and enhancing perovskite quality. In this review, the advances in vapor-based and assisted methods for the fabrication of perovskite solar cells are introduced. The quality of the perovskite layers (i.e., morphology, crystallinity, defect chemistry, carrier lifetime) fabricated by different methods is compared. The limitations of state-of-the-art vapor-deposited perovskite layers are discussed. Finally, insights into the engineering of vapor deposition based and assisted perovskite layers toward efficient and stable perovskite solar cells and modules are provided.