Thermal effects in perovskite solar cells

Heat accumulation remains a major threat to efficiency and operational stability as metal-halide perovskite photovoltaics are nearing commercial deployment. This perspective analyzes heat generation, consequences, and mitigation in representative 3D perovskite photovoltaics through a "source-implication-intervention" framework. We first examine waste heat from bias- and architecture-dependent optical and electrical losses, emphasizing reverse-bias hot spots and the intrinsically low thermal conductivity of soft, anharmonic lattices. We then discuss temperature-induced performance losses arising from recombination and diode characteristics, together with coupled degradation involving ion migration, interfacial reactions, electrode diffusion, and additive redistribution in charge-transport layers. Finally, thermal-management strategies are assessed, including thermally conductive additives, heat-radiation structures, interface engineering, functional encapsulation with conductive fillers or phase-change materials, and radiative-cooling covers that enhance mid-infrared emission with minimal optical loss. System-aware opportunities are further identified for tandem, flexible, and building-integrated perovskite photovoltaics.