Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and
Technology Graduate University (OIST) have eliminated problematic pinholes in
the top layer of next-generation solar cells in development. At the same time,
they have significantly improved the lifetime of the solar cell and made it
thinner. The findings were recently published in Scientific Reports.
The pinholes, identified by OIST’s Energy Materials and
Surface Sciences Unit led by Prof. Yabing Qi, were described in the Chemistry
of Materials earlier this year. The pinholes in the top layer of the solar
cell, known as the hole transport layer, were identified as a key cause for the
quick degradation of perovskite solar cells. Researchers around the world are
investigating the potential of perovskite, a manmade organic-inorganic hybrid
material, as an alternative to silicon-based solar cells.