Self-assembled monolayers for perovskite solar cells

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have emerged as an effective and promising interface engineering approach to enhance the performance and stability in perovskite solar cells (PVSCs). In recent years, they have gained significant attention due to their advantages of minimal light absorption, low material consumption, simple processing, and conformal coating. By optimizing the energy level alignment, suppressing interface defects, boosting charge extraction, and improving resistance to moisture and oxygen, highly efficient and stable PVSCs have been successfully achieved. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the development and progress of SAMs for interfacial engineering in PVSCs. We specifically discuss strategies for growing high-quality SAM films on various interfaces with desired properties, highlighting the key principles for selecting, designing, and optimizing SAMs for different interfaces in the context of device fabrication. Finally, we offer perspectives on the future development of SAMs to further enhance PVSC performance and stability, thereby advancing their commercialization.