Perovskite solar cells employing organic charge-transport layers

Thin-film photovoltaics play an important role in the quest for clean renewable energy. Recently, methylammonium lead halide perovskites were identified as promising absorbers for solar cells1. In the three years since, the performance of perovskite-based solar cells has improved rapidly to reach efficiencies as high as 15%1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. To date, all high-efficiency perovskite solar cells reported make use of a (mesoscopic) metal oxide, such as Al2O3, TiO2 or ZrO2, which requires a high-temperature sintering process. Here, we show that methylammonium lead iodide perovskite layers, when sandwiched between two thin organic charge-transporting layers, also lead to solar cells with high power-conversion efficiencies (12%). To ensure a high purity, the perovskite layers were prepared by sublimation in a high-vacuum chamber. This simple planar device structure and the room-temperature deposition processes are suitable for many conducting substrates, including plastic and textiles. Highly efficient perovskite solar cells have been fabricated by using room-temperature deposition processes. The cells are based on a layer of methylammonium lead iodide perovskite that is prepared by sublimation in a high-vacuum chamber and sandwiched between two thin organic charge-transport layers.