| May 21, 2027 |
Scientists have developed a new passivation strategy that significantly improves both the efficiency and operational stability of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells.
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(Nanowerk News) Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells combine a top perovskite layer, which efficiently converts sunlight into electricity, with a silicon bottom substrate. These solar cells hold great potential for lightweight, high-efficiency applications in the photovoltaic field, with the current world efficiency record reaching 35.0%.
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However, the pyramid-textured surface of industrial silicon substrates makes it difficult to deposit a uniform perovskite top layer, which often leads to localized electrical leakage and thus limits the commercial prospects of these tandem cells.
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Now, researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Soochow University, Taizhou University, and S.C Exact Equipment Co., have developed an innovative peak-selective passivation strategy to suppress electrical leakage (Matter, “Selective passivation of pyramid peaks for 32.9%-efficient perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells”).
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The method uses polystyrene nanospheres as a template to precisely deposit a thin insulating layer of aluminum oxide onto the pyramid peaks, thereby blocking leakage pathways.
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| The peak-selective passivation strategy for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. (Image: NIMTE)
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The team achieved an impressive power conversion efficiency of 33.33%, certified at 32.89%, in a perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell with an active area of approximately one square centimeter.
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The device also retained about 90% of its initial efficiency after 1,000 hours of continuous operation, demonstrating excellent long-term stability.
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According to the researchers, this strategy improves the efficiency and operational stability of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells by selectively passivating the peaks of the pyramid-textured silicon bottom cells.
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“This strategy is simple and compatible with existing industrial production lines, bringing perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells a step closer to commercial applications,” said Prof. YE Jichun, a corresponding author of the study.
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