Weekly Papers — Zijian

Scan: 2026-06-22 · 9 papers · TL;DRs synthesized from Crossref / OpenAlex abstracts + operator notes
Week's curated reading from Zijian, with TL;DR bullets per paper. Operator notes preserved verbatim with mentions.

Papers

Nanocrystal-tailored recombination for all-perovskite tandem solar modules

Paper 2026-06-15 Xiao et al. Nature
TL;DR
  • A 65-cm2 all-perovskite tandem solar module reached a certified 26.2% power conversion efficiency (JET-measured), with VOC 2.182 V, fill factor 77.4%, and JSC 15.6 mA cm-2 in averaged subcell performance.
  • Replaces the conventional gold-based tunnel recombination junction (TRJ) with a solution-processed interconnecting layer of surface-engineered In2O3 nanocrystals, cutting near-infrared parasitic absorption and interfacial instability that limited photocurrent and durability.
  • A phosphonic acid additive in the lead-tin (Pb-Sn) perovskite precursor improves electronic contact with the In2O3 layer to boost hole extraction, while regulating crystallization to relieve residual film strain for high-quality large-area deposits.
  • Tuned nanocrystal morphology and ligand chemistry give smooth interfacial contact and favorable energy-level alignment, jointly raising recombination efficiency, carrier extraction, and large-area film uniformity.
  • Per the curator's note, this blade-coated Pb-Sn tandem represents a new module efficiency record, reportedly using 2-ME / THF solvents in place of conventional DMF/DMSO (solvent detail not stated in the retrieved abstract).
Note PVK/PVK tandem module 26.2%@65cm2, new record. Blade-coated Pb-Sn, use 2-ME / THF rather than DMF/DMSO @Classen, Andrej
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Ternary self-assembled molecular contact for ambient-processed perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells

Paper 2026-06-01 Kim et al. Nature Photonics
TL;DR
  • From Sang Il Seok's group: a ternary self-assembled molecular (SAM) contact combining glycerol dimethacrylate (GDMA) and 1-acetylguanidine (AG) acts as a process-tolerant hole-selective contact, enabling perovskite cells to be fabricated in ambient air rather than an inert atmosphere.
  • Addresses the curator's wetting angle directly: GDMA serves as a cosolvent during SAM deposition to improve film uniformity, then cures into a hydrophilic binary network that firmly anchors the SAM to the substrate; AG further suppresses interfacial defects.
  • Motivation is that ambient moisture disrupts conventional phosphonic-acid SAMs on transparent conductive oxide, causing surface inhomogeneity and direct TCO exposure — the engineered contact restores uniform precursor spreading and defect control.
  • Ambient-fabricated wide-bandgap single-junction PSCs reached 21.20% PCE on 1.00 cm2 with VOC of 1.28 V.
  • Ambient perovskite/silicon tandems achieved 31.72% PCE (certified 31.36%), essentially matching inert-condition control devices at 32.60%.
  • Unencapsulated tandems retained >92% of initial efficiency after 600 h at 85 °C in air and >90% after 1,000 h of continuous simulated-sunlight illumination.
Note ITO/Al2O3-np/SAM layer, from Seok's group. @Dag, Hakan replacement of NiOx as well as improving the wetting
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Balanced Molecular Interactions with Mild Dipole Moment for Intermediate Suppressing in High Performance Antisolvent-Free Regular α-FAPbI3 Solar Cells

Paper 2026-06-16 Yao et al. Advanced Materials
TL;DR
  • Targets the core problem of antisolvent-free perovskite solar cell fabrication: slow, uneven nucleation produces abundant solvated intermediates that divert α-FAPbI3 crystallization and cap performance.
  • Introduces a balanced molecular-interaction strategy using additives with mild dipole moments of ~1.9 Debye (symmetric dimethyl isophthalate derivatives), with the fluorine substituent giving the optimal phase evolution.
  • Balanced coordination to Pb2+, hydrogen bonding to FA+, and interaction with I− shortens td-α (time for the α-phase to dominate) from >150 s to 23 s, enabling faster, complete transformation to high-quality α-FAPbI3.
  • Achieves a power conversion efficiency up to 26.28% — the highest reported for antisolvent-free regular PSCs based on pure FAPbI3 absorbers (per the curator's note, processed from a 2-ME + CHP solution).
  • Demonstrates durability: retains 93.7% of initial efficiency after 1500 h aging at 85 °C, and 90% after 1000 h maximum-power-point tracking.
Note antisolvent-free, 26.28%, solution: 2-ME+CHP @Classen, Andrej
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Tailoring crystallization kinetics for scalable and efficient large-area perovskite light-emitting diodes

Paper 2026-06-05 Baek et al. Science Advances
TL;DR
  • Tackles the key scale-up bottleneck for large-area perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs): coffee-ring formation and heterogeneous crystallization that plague uniform film deposition as device area grows.
  • Curator's angle: a multimodal solvent-engineering strategy adds NMP (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) and ACN (acetonitrile) into a DMF-based precursor, paired with ambient blade coating plus vacuum-assisted solvent evaporation for scalable processing.
  • The ternary DMF:NMP+ACN formulation synergistically tunes evaporation dynamics — suppressing macroscopic solute segregation via Marangoni-flow redistribution while regulating precursor coordination to control nucleation and phase conversion.
  • Resulting films show improved uniformity, reduced trap densities, and enhanced radiative efficiency.
  • Near-infrared PeLEDs reach peak external quantum efficiencies of 25.2% (10 mm2), 22.1% (60 mm2), and 19.0% (224 mm2), with efficiency retained as device area scales from 10 to 224 mm2.
  • A functional vein-imaging prototype on a 224-mm2 device showcases the approach for large-area optoelectronic applications.
Note DMF:NMP+ACN for scalable blade-coated perovskite LED @Classen, Andrej
View source

Low-hygroscopic solvents enable ambient blade coating of efficient perovskite solar cells

Paper 2026-06-11 Li et al. Nature Communications
TL;DR
  • A low-hygroscopic solvent system enables ambient blade coating of moisture-sensitive interfacial layers in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) — both organoammonium halide passivation layers and self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) — which are normally too hygroscopic to deposit reliably in air.
  • The trick: mixing an alcohol (which dissolves the functional materials) with a low-polarity alkane that suppresses moisture uptake during blade coating, so deposition tolerates high humidity — matching the curator's note on PEAI in IPA/n-octane and the analogous SAM route.
  • Devices with air blade-coated SAMs, perovskite, and passivation layers reach a certified efficiency of 26.1%.
  • Performance shows negligible decrease even when fabricated at 80% relative humidity, addressing a key barrier to scalable PSC production in ambient air.
  • Positioned as a general approach: chemical and optoelectronic characterization confirms the solvent system works across both passivation layers and SAMs under high humidity, rather than being a single-material fix.
Note blade-coated SAM, perovskite, passivation in air. PEAI in IPA/n-octane help deposition in high humidity, similar for SAM layer @Shudi Qiu @Lirong Dong
View source

A Universal Method to Produce Low–Work Function Electrodes for Organic Electronics

Paper 2012-04-20 Zhou et al. Science
TL;DR
  • Reports a universal solution-processed coating — a polymer bearing simple aliphatic amine groups (polyethylenimine, PEI, and its ethoxylated analogue PEIE) — that produces low–work-function electrodes for organic electronics.
  • The thin amine-polymer layer lowers the work function of a wide range of conductors by up to 1.7 eV, working on metals, conducting metal oxides, conducting polymers, and graphene alike.
  • Provides an air-stable alternative to reactive low-work-function metals such as calcium, which normally require protection from air and water vapor.
  • Demonstrated across a variety of organic devices (e.g. light-emitting diodes), validating the approach as a general interfacial-engineering tool rather than a single-device trick.
  • Curator angle: exactly the PEI/PEIE work-function-tuning chemistry of interest as an interlayer — note the mechanism here is a work-function reduction (down-shift) via the surface amine dipole; applying it at an HTL/Ag contact would shift that electrode toward electron-selective behavior.
Note Using PEI or PEIE to tune (upshift) the WF. May be a modification between HTL/Ag ? @Juan Sebastian Rocha Ortiz @Dag, Hakan@shudi.qiu@fau.de
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2D Perovskite Engineering Enables Robust Self-Assembled Monolayers for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells

Paper 2026-06-02 Gu et al. Advanced Materials
TL;DR
  • Tackles a key failure mode of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) hole-selective contacts in inverted perovskite solar cells: desorption and aggregation of the SAM during solution-based perovskite deposition, which degrades the SAM-perovskite interface.
  • Introduces a transient 2D perovskite protection strategy using volatile propylammonium chloride that temporarily shields the SAM from solvent-induced degradation, then decouples during thermal annealing to preserve interface integrity and enable uniform large-area crystallization.
  • Delivers a power conversion efficiency of 26.14% for 0.05 cm2 devices, 23.27% for a 5 × 5 cm2 mini-module, and 22.34% for a 30 × 30 cm2 module (615.7 cm2 active area).
  • The large-area module retains 90% of its initial efficiency after 2000 h of continuous maximum-power-point operation, demonstrating combined high performance and operational stability.
  • By keeping the SAM from migrating away from / aggregating at the perovskite interface during film formation, the work offers a scalable route to reliable, manufacturable perovskite photovoltaics.
Note SAM diffuse into PVK layer @Wang, Yanxue@Wu, Zhenni
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Crystallization Pathway Optimization and High-Index Facet Stabilization for Perovskite Photovoltaics

Paper 2026-06-09 Wang et al. Advanced Materials
TL;DR
  • A kinetically segmented crystallization strategy uses a preorganized macromolecular regulator, cellulose 2,4,6-trichlorophenylcarbamate (3Cl-NC), whose multidentate coordination creates precursor-rich microenvironments that drive heterogeneous nucleation in perovskite films.
  • During annealing the regulator shifts into a thermally activated dynamic coordination state that retards long-range precursor transport while keeping local supply for controlled growth — suppressing the metastable δ-phase and favoring the photoactive α-phase.
  • Addressing the curator's angle: 3Cl-NC thermodynamically stabilizes the high-Miller-index (210) facet, and the authors report this orientation intrinsically enhances lattice structural stability — so a (210)-preferred film is positioned as the more stable architecture.
  • The (210)-stabilized films show higher phase purity, relieved residual stress, and suppressed ion migration, the combination credited with the improved long-term operational stability.
  • Devices reach a champion PCE of 26.59% (certified 26.29%) alongside the improved long-term stability, demonstrating the efficiency–stability balance the strategy targets.
Note (210)-preferred film might show better stability? @Dag, Hakan
View source

Taking perovskite photovoltaics from promise to product

Paper 2026-05-26 Harit et al. Nature Reviews Clean Technology
TL;DR
  • A perspective arguing that perovskite PV is no longer limited primarily by efficiency, but by the ability to integrate materials, manufacturing, standards and finance into a coherent product and value chain.
  • Maps the commercialization gap: required manufacturing maturity, adaptive standards and economics needed to move from record-setting lab devices to bankable products.
  • Sees single-junction modules winning first in differentiated niches (building-integrated PV, aerospace, agrivoltaics), while high-efficiency tandem architectures remain the most promising route to mass-market adoption.
  • Draws lessons from early pilot lines, regional industrial strategies and analogue technologies such as OLEDs, stressing the roles of supply chains, adaptive standards and risk capital.
  • Calls for future research to treat manufacturability, stability, resource constraints and recyclability as primary design variables, guided by coordinated, application-driven roadmaps.
Note nice perspective on commercialization of perovskite
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Previous scans

Scan 2026-05-30

Weekly Papers — Zijian

Scan: 2026-05-30 · 8 papers · TL;DRs synthesized from Crossref / OpenAlex abstracts + operator notes
Week's curated reading from Zijian, with TL;DR bullets per paper. Operator notes preserved verbatim with mentions.

Papers

An entropy-regulating molecular lock stabilizes formamidinium lead halide perovskite

Paper 2026-05-14 Miao et al. Science
TL;DR
  • Entropy-regulating molecular-lock strategy on FAPbI3 using 1-pyridin-3-ylmethyl-piperazine hydrochloride (3-PMPCl).
  • 3-PMPCl modulates rotational freedom of organic cations and suppresses the entropy increase tied to [PbI6]4− octahedral disorder, raising the phase-transition energy barrier.
  • Uniform distribution + strong adsorption stabilize the α-phase under elevated temperature and humidity.
  • Certified PCE 27.6% in FAPbI3-based PSC.
  • Bismuth-electrode variant: 26.8% initial PCE, retains 93.0% after 1011 h at 85 °C / 1-sun.
  • Operator pointer: SI "Fabrication details and key points" + movie S2 are informative for our fabrication.
Note highest published certified-PCE of 27.6%. There is "Fabrication details and key points" in SI and movie S2 (informative), which will be helpful for our fabrication. @Dag, Hakan @Classen, Andrej
View source

Journey toward a Global Understanding of Recombination in Halide Perovskites for Photovoltaic Applications

Paper 2026-05-12 Stranks et al. ACS Energy Letters
TL;DR
  • Review tracing the evolution of recombination models in halide perovskites.
  • Early field inherited an excitonic emphasis from DSSC and OPV backgrounds; mathematical simplification eventually clashed with experiment.
  • Recent trend: return to classical-semiconductor models combined with ML-assisted fitting and confidence quantification.
  • Argues for unified global recombination models; outlines remaining challenges and opportunities.
  • Operator angle: relevant background for trPL model work.
Note review on trPL model @These, Albert
View source

Buried Interface Engineering in Metal-Halide Perovskite/NiO Heterostructures through Direct Observation of Interfacial Reactions

Paper 2026-05-11 Wang et al. ACS Energy Letters
TL;DR
  • Direct microscopic evidence of PbI2 and Pb–O species formation at the buried perovskite/NiO interface.
  • Ni3+ surface species deprotonate organic cations and oxidize halide anions, generating a PbI2-rich interfacial layer that hinders hole extraction and increases nonradiative recombination.
  • Mitigation: bridging molecular interlayers Me-4PACz and 3PATAT-C3 deposited on NiO.
  • Champion PCE improvements over bare-NiO control: +11.5% (Me-4PACz) and +19.9% (3PATAT-C3), driven by gains in VOC and FF.
  • Operator angle: confirms PbI2 + amorphous Pb-O form even under mild annealing.
Note reaction at NiO/PVK @Wang, Yanxue, leading to the formation of crystalline PbI2 and amorphous Pb-O species even under mild annealing conditions
View source

Redox-Active Flavonoid Interlayers Enable Strain-Relieved and Efficient Sn–Pb Perovskite Solar Cells

Paper 2026-05-08 Wang et al. ACS Energy Letters
TL;DR
  • Buried-interface modification for Sn–Pb perovskite via plasma-driven oxidation of catechin (flavonoid polyphenol) on PEDOT:PSS/FTO.
  • O2 plasma converts catechin to a quinone-rich form (catechin-Q) → upward band bending + improved energy-level alignment, suppressing interfacial nonradiative recombination.
  • Semiquinone/quinone moieties coordinate Sn/Pb centers and relieve tensile strain at the buried interface.
  • Champion PCE 23.48%; VOC = 873 mV.
  • Operational durability: >95% of initial PCE retained after 4,800 h under ISOS-D-1I.
Note Sn-Pb, 23.48% @Hu, Manman
View source

Bio-inspired antioxidant stabilization for efficient tin-lead and all-perovskite tandem solar cells

Paper 2026-05-18 Jiang et al. Nature Communications
TL;DR
  • Bio-inspired dual-antioxidant approach for narrow-bandgap Sn-Pb perovskite: gallic acid (GA) as bulk dopant + tannic acid (TA) as surface passivator.
  • GA localizes at grain boundaries, suppressing SnI2 impurities; TA forms a robust surface passivation layer plus a dipole that aids interfacial charge transfer.
  • Dual molecules synergize against intrinsic (precursor degradation) and extrinsic (O2, superoxide) oxidation.
  • Sn-Pb single-junction champion PCE 23.46%.
  • Monolithic all-perovskite tandem: 29.95% (certified 29.44%).
Note Sn-Pb, 23.46% @Hu, Manman
View source

Molecular Modification Strategy for Efficient NiOx-based Tin-Lead Perovskites Solar Cells and All-perovskite Tandems

Paper 2026-05-14 Xu et al. Advanced Materials
TL;DR
  • NiOx HTL + Sn–Pb perovskite normally suffer from energy-level mismatch and oxidizing active species at the interface.
  • Strategy: ammonium 2-hydroxyethanesulphonate (AHES) deposited on NiOx.
  • –SO3− reacts with NiOx to regulate film morphology and align energy levels; –OH acts as Lewis base, hydrogen-bonding to perovskite components to modulate crystallization and lift lattice strength.
  • Sn–Pb single-junction PCE 22.98% vs 20.02% control; retains 80% of initial efficiency after 212 h 1-sun MPPT (vs 90 h control).
  • Four-terminal all-perovskite tandem: 30.38%.
Note NiOx-based Sn–Pb, 22.98% @Hu, Manman
View source

Enhancing Heterogeneous Nucleation on Buried Interface for Efficient Antisolvent-Free Inverted Flexible Perovskite Photovoltaics

Paper 2026-05-12 Wang et al. Advanced Materials
TL;DR
  • SAM hydrophobicity normally blocks uniform large-area perovskite deposition, especially on flexible plastic substrates.
  • Strategy: multifunctional N-(4-Cyanophenyl)guanidine hydrochloride (NCGCl) modifies the SAM with hydrophilic groups → spreads perovskite solution evenly.
  • Nitrile + guanidinium groups interact with perovskite components for heterogeneous nucleation + defect passivation; π–π stacking between NCGCl benzene rings and SAM strengthens the substrate-perovskite bridge.
  • Antisolvent-free PSC champion PCE 26.89% (certified 26.64%) on rigid; 25.29% on flexible.
  • 5 cm × 5 cm flexible mini-module: 22.28% with strong mechanical bending stability.
Note Antisolvent-Free, 26.89% @Classen, Andrej @Dag, Hakan
View source

Robust self-assembled monolayer enables ultraviolet stable perovskite photovoltaics

Paper 2026-05-20 Wang et al. Nature Communications
TL;DR
  • Conventional SAMs degrade rapidly under UV (ab initio MD + experiment) → molecular desorption and film collapse limit long-term operation.
  • New SAM with dual-dimensional reinforcement: vertical (multi-anchor + flexible π-conjugated framework for bidirectional adhesion) + horizontal (intrinsic structural stability + interlocked network preventing UV-driven collapse).
  • Champion PCE 27.10% (certified 26.90%).
  • ISOS-L-2 at 65 °C MPPT: only 2% loss after 2100 h.
  • High-intensity UV (1.73× natural sunlight): 86.7% retained after 2200 h.
  • Outdoor exposure: 90.5% retained after 2035 h — reported as the highest UV stability of SAM-based PSCs.
Note Poly WZW, SAM not stable under UV light
View source
Scan 2026-05-11

Weekly Papers — Zijian

Scan: 2026-05-11 · 6 papers · TL;DRs synthesized from Crossref / OpenAlex abstracts + operator notes
Week's curated reading from Zijian, with TL;DR bullets per paper. Operator notes preserved verbatim with mentions.

Papers

Towards end-to-end automation of AI research

Paper 2026-03-25 Lu et al. Nature
TL;DR
  • "The AI Scientist" automates the full research lifecycle end-to-end: ideation → code → experiments → manuscript → peer review.
  • An AI-generated manuscript passed the first round of peer review at a top-tier ML workshop (70% acceptance rate).
  • Two modes: focused (human-provided code template scaffold for one topic) and template-free open-ended agentic search.
  • Built on modern foundation models inside a complex agentic system.
  • Authors flag risks: overwhelming review systems + adding noise to the scientific literature.
Note AI generate idea, do experiment, write and review paper @Misha
View source

Transient Interphase Assisted Crystallization of Antisolvent-Free Perovskite for Enhanced Device Performance

Paper 2026-04-20 Liu et al. Advanced Materials
TL;DR
  • Antisolvent-free CsxFA1−xPbI3 PSCs via a "transient interphase" strategy controlling nucleation + crystal growth.
  • Tetramethylurea (TMU) replaces DMF; triggers instantaneous Cs-rich nucleation and forms a transient interphase that balances component crystallization rates.
  • Cell efficiency up to 25.63%; module efficiency 19.62%.
  • ISOS-L-1 stability: negligible degradation after 1700 h; retains 90% of initial efficiency after 3500 h — longest reported MPPT stability for antisolvent-free CsxFA1−xPbI3 PSCs to date.
  • Mechanism: suppressed phase segregation via α-CsxFA1−xPbI3 phase formation.
Note quench-free, use TMU replace DMF, 25.63% @Classen, Andrej
View source

Synthetic Surface Design of Transparent Electrodes for Enhanced Molecular Contact in Perovskite Solar Cells

Paper 2026-04-16 Hooijer et al. Advanced Energy Materials
TL;DR
  • NiOx-free p-i-n architecture: ITO + phosphonic-acid SAM as charge-selective contact.
  • Counter-intuitive finding: moderate (not maximum) ITO hydroxyl/hydroxide content gives more uniform and electronically favourable SAM anchoring.
  • Simple solution-based ITO surface treatment (operator note: H2SO4/H2O2) simultaneously tunes surface chemistry, conductivity, and homogeneity.
  • Improved charge extraction + higher reproducibility + operational stability.
  • Validated under extreme thermal cycling (−80 → +80 °C, LEO-space relevance) across single-junction + tandem cells.
Note NiOx-free, ITO/SAM, from Erkan Aydin. ITO treated by H2SO4/H2O2 has higher reproducibility @Dag, Hakan
View source

Assessing the Opportunities of Spectral Shaping by Quantum Cutting for Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells

Paper 2026-04-17 Wieliczka et al. ACS Energy Letters
TL;DR
  • Yb-doped halide perovskite quantum-cutting layer: one UV/visible photon → two near-infrared photons, reshaping the solar spectrum into the Si bottom-cell band.
  • Detailed-balance analysis: idealized PVK/Si tandem efficiency limit largely unchanged — but the optimal top-cell bandgap shifts from 1.7 → ≈1.45 eV.
  • That shift opens the door to neat iodide (Br-free) perovskite compositions — potentially more stable than mixed-halide Br-rich top cells — without losing efficiency.
  • Bonus mechanism: quantum-cutting layer absorbs UV photons that would otherwise hit and degrade the perovskite stack — UV-stability gain on top of spectral gain.
  • Operator angle confirmed: 1.46 eV downconversion target lines up with the paper's ≈1.45 eV optimum.
Note down conversion for PVK/Si, decrease PVK to 1.46 eV, quantum cutting @Dag, Hakan
View source

Bypassing the yellow phase for extremely stable formamidinium lead iodide perovskite solar cells

Paper 2026-04-30 Garai et al. Science
TL;DR
  • Coadditive in FAPbI3: 15 mol% FACl + 0.5 mol% BA2PbI4 (BA = butylammonium).
  • Chloride incorporation + compressive lattice strain stabilize the FAPI black 3C phase and bypass the yellow-phase degradation pathway.
  • p-i-n devices: 24.1% average PCE across 40 devices; only 2% efficiency loss after 1200 h at 85 °C / 1-sun / open-circuit.
  • Mechanism: transition 2H → 4H → 6H → 8H face-sharing phases → corner-sharing 3C black phase.
  • Surprising degradation path: under 15-sun + 90 °C stress, 3C decays via the energetically uphill 3R-PbI2 phase, not 2H-PbI2.
  • Operator angle: better than the classic MACl additive.
Note additive of FACl and BAPbI4 stablize perovskite under 85C, better than MACl additive @Dag, Hakan
View source

Crystallization modulation of methylammonium-free narrow-bandgap perovskite for thermal-stable all-perovskite tandem solar modules

Paper 2026-05-01 Gao et al. Science Advances
TL;DR
  • MA-free Pb-Sn (FACs-based) all-perovskite tandem — replaces thermally unstable methylammonium with cesium.
  • Crystallization modifier: p-π conjugated semicarbazide hydrochloride (SHCl) in precursor solution.
  • SH+ and Cl− synergistically modulate Cs precipitation + retard crystal growth → homogeneous nucleation in large-area films.
  • Single-junction FACs Pb-Sn: 85% retained efficiency after 700 h at 85 °C.
  • 20.25 cm² tandem module: 24.3% certified PCE — highest among MA-free all-perovskite tandem modules.
  • Encapsulated modules: 90% retained under ISOS damp heat (200 h); 92% under thermal cycling (200 cycles).
Note MA-free, Sn-Pb @Hu, Manman
View source