Stabilizing high-efficiency perovskite solar cells via strategic interfacial contact engineering
Surface passivation in perovskite solar cells can enhance device efficiency, yet incomplete interfacial functionality poses challenges to long-term reliability. Here we present a strategic interfacial engineering approach using sodium heptafluorobutyrate to fully functionalize the perovskite surface. Sodium heptafluorobutyrate acts as an ion shield that tunes the perovskite surface work function and increases the defect formation energy, resulting in an improved interface with the electron transport layer that minimizes recombination and boosts electron extraction under operation. We find that a sodium-heptafluorobutyrate-functionalized perovskite surface promotes a uniform, compact C<sub>60</sub> layer that effectively blocks ion diffusion and stabilizes the device stack. This approach allows p-i-n perovskite solar cells to achieve a record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 27.02% (certified 26.96% with a maximum-power-point-tracking PCE of 26.61%). Devices with an active area of 1 cm<sup>2</sup> deliver a PCE of 25.95%. Perovskite solar cells retain 100% of their initial efficiency following 1,200 h of continuous 1-sun illumination at the maximum power point. Devices also demonstrate exceptional thermal stability, retaining 92% of the initial PCE when ageing at 85 °C for 1,800 h and 94% after 200 thermal cycles between -40 °C and +85 °C.
Authors
- Artem Musiienko (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2259-8387)
- Antonio Abate (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3012-3541)
- Zuhong Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3291-5703)
- Jenny Nelson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1048-1330)
- Guixiang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8730-0713)
- Meng Ke Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0360-7791)
- Paul J. Dyson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3117-3249)
- Michele Saba (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6416-3122)
- Piers R. F. Barnes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7537-8759)
- Luyao Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0917-1749)
- Bo Hou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9918-8223)
- Jinzhao Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6866-1321)
- Lucy J. F. Hart (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6269-4672)
- Karunanantharajah Prashanthan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6042-7055)
- Thomas W. Gries (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9489-3310)
- Benjamin Agyei‐Tuffour (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9629-8240)
- Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5955-4786)
- Luyan Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9945-7736)
- Zhe Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5680-0486)
- Rui Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7631-3589)
Institutions
- University of Ghana (GH)
- Queen Mary University of London (GB)
- University of Cagliari (IT)
- Xiamen University (CN)
- University of Jaffna (LK)
- Bielefeld University (DE)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (DE)
- Ministry of Education (IR)
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (CN)
- Imperial College London (GB)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- University of Naples Federico II (IT)
- Southeast University (CN)
- Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (SA)
- Cardiff University (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Photonics
- Published
- 2025-11-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-025-01791-1
- Citations
- 22
- Primary Topic
- Perovskite Materials and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 16.07
Funders
- European Commission
- Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
- Universität Potsdam
- Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province
- Soochow University
- Southeast University
- Xiamen University
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
- HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council