Vacuum-deposited perovskite cells inch close to scalable production

Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have made a significant advancement in vacuum-deposited perovskite solar cells by developing a multi-source co-evaporation technique that improves crystal quality. By introducing lead chloride (PbCl2) as a co-source during thermal co-evaporation, they achieved a highly ordered wide-bandgap perovskite (1.67 eV) with grains predominantly aligned in a (100) “face-up” orientation. This crystal structure enhances the film’s resistance to light- and heat-induced degradation, resulting in improved optoelectronic properties and stability. Using this method, the team produced the first certified all-vacuum-deposited wide-bandgap perovskite solar cell with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.35% on a 0.25 cm² device, reaching up to 19.3% efficiency in the lab and 18.5% on a larger