Organolead Halide Perovskite: New Horizons in Solar Cell Research

Organolead-halide-perovskite-based solar cells have recently received significant attention due to their excellent photovoltaic performance and low cost. The general formula of this perovskite light harvester is RPbX3, where R and X stand for a monovalent organic cation and halide anion, respectively. Structures of the perovskite solar cell are designed based on the function of the perovskite. Organolead halide perovskites can be used either as sensitizers or n- or p-type light harvesters. Rapid progress has been made over the past year since the first report on long-term, durable, 9.7% efficiency perovskite solar cells based on CH3NH3PbI3-sensitized TiO2 in 2012. As a result, power conversion efficiencies as high as 16% have been achieved. Further improvement is expected from this material in terms of understanding charge accumulation and transport properties. Organolead halide perovskite is now regarded as a promising solar cell material, opening new horizons in solar cell research.