Scaling Up Perovskite Solar Cell Fabrication: Antisolvent-Controlled Crystallization of Printed Perovskite Semiconductor

Abstract

Scaling up perovskite solar cells stands as one of the frontiers in advancing this rapidly growing technology. Yet, controlling perovskite thin-film crystallization during and post-printing differs significantly from lab-scale processes that have yielded record device efficiencies. This study investigates antisolvent treatment for slot-die-coated perovskite solar cells using in situ optical spectroscopy and comparing among multiple antisolvents. The antisolvent bath used in slot-die coating affects the perovskite crystallization and film quality differently when comparing to the established spin-coating antisolvent treatment process. A novel dynamic antisolvent method, employing either vortex or laminar flow, is developed. It outperforms steady-bath techniques in generating high-quality, haze-free films. Optimization studies identify critical treatment times. Implementing this novel antisolvent treatment leads to a peak average power conversion efficiency of 15.62% and the highest device efficiency of 18.57%, an excellent performance for slot-die-coated MAPbI₃ devices printed and tested under ambient conditions. The method is validated for an alternative perovskite composition, FA_0.9Cs_0.1PbI₃, and printing technique, blade coating. This research highlights the importance of in situ analysis for enhancing perovskite film quality and introduces scalable approaches for controlling large-area film crystallization kinetics, driven by the demand for efficient and scalable manufacturing processes in the field of perovskite solar cells.