Simple salt additive gives perovskite solar cells 22.3% efficiency

Researchers at University College London have demonstrated that adding the salt guanidinium thiocyanate to perovskite solar cells significantly enhances their power conversion efficiency and stability. This salt controls the crystallization process during fabrication, resulting in smoother, more uniform perovskite layers with fewer defects, which improves performance and longevity. The team achieved a notable efficiency of 22.3% in mixed tin-lead perovskite cells, approaching the best reported values for this material class and comparable to commercial silicon solar panels. The study highlights that incorporating guanidinium cations into the perovskite structure not only boosts efficiency but also enhances the optoelectronic properties and stability of various perovskite compositions. The researchers emphasize that using this salt in the bottom layer of tandem solar cells could push efficiencies even higher, potentially surpassing current world records. This method offers a straightforward, scalable approach to fine-tuning perovskite films, paving the way for more efficient,