Concurrent Top and Buried Surface Optimization for Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells with High Efficiency and Stability

Abstract

Although much progress is made toward enhancing the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), their operational reliability, particularly their mechanical stability, which is a crucial factor for flexible PSCs (f-PCSs), has not attracted sufficient attention. The defects in the perovskite layer, especially on the top and the buried surface of the perovskite layer, can induce perovskite fracture, highly limiting the performance of f-PSCs. Herein, a novel multifunctional organic salt, metformin hydrochloride, which can passivate cationic and anionic defects, is incorporated on both the top and buried surfaces of perovskite layer to suppress defects. As a result, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.40% for rigid PSCs and a PCE of 22.04% for f-PSCs are achieved. Simultaneously, the device can retain 90% and 80% of the initial efficiency after 1000 h of light illumination and 10 000 bending cycles, respectively, showing excellent operational stability. This study may provide a global way to design a passivation strategy and fabricate flexible perovskite solar cells with high efficiency and stability.