title: Effect of the Microstructure of the Functional Layers on the Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells.
abstract: The efficiencies of the hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells have been rapidly approaching the benchmarks held by the leading thin-film photovoltaic technologies. Arguably, one of the most important factors leading to this rapid advancement is the ability to manipulate the microstructure of the perovskite layer and the adjacent functional layers within the device. Here, an analysis of the nucleation and growth models relevant to the formation of perovskite films is provided, along with the effect of the perovskite microstructure (grain sizes and voids) on device performance. In addition, the effect of a compact or mesoporous electron-transport-layer (ETL) microstructure on the perovskite film formation and the optical/photoelectric properties at the ETL/perovskite interface are overviewed. Insight into the formation of the functional layers within a perovskite solar cell is provided, and potential avenues for further development of the perovskite microstructure are identified.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies for Materials Synthesis and Processing, International School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Fuzhi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexander R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pascoe
authors.affiliation: Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Wu-Qiang
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies for Materials Synthesis and Processing, International School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Zhiliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies for Materials Synthesis and Processing, International School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies for Materials Synthesis and Processing, International School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies for Materials Synthesis and Processing, International School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China.|Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Yi-Bing
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cheng
keywords: microstructural control; nucleation and crystal growth; organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites; perovskite solar cells