Perovskite solar cells have recently become a focus of a vast research effort because of their high efficiency (as high as 20%) that is achieved using low-cost constituents and solution processing. Yet, due to structural “softness”, thermal instability, and solubility in water, reproducible fabrication of the perovskite layers and the stability of perovskite solar cells represent key challenges. We address the fabrication challenge via studying the mechanisms of perovskite crystallization; we tackle the stability challenge via utilizing stable perovskite layers as well as tailor-made hole transporting materials (HTMs) and electrodes created in our group. We showed how additives and surfaces influence perovskite crystallization, and used it to make better cells. We used how new HTMs to improve solar cell performance, and fabricated very stable perovskite devices using novel back electrode materials. Part of our solar cell research involves collaboration with the groups from the Department of Materials&Interfaces at Weizmann and Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics at Ben Gurion University.
Siram R. B. K., Das J., Mukhopadhyay S., Brenner T. M., Kedem N., Kulbak M., Bendikov T., Cahen D., Hodes G. Rybtchinski B. (2016). Interface Modification by Simple Organic Salts Improves Performance of Planar Perovskite Solar Cells. Advanced Materials Interfaces, 3: 1600506.
Berry, Joseph; Buonassisi, Tonio; Egger, David A.; Hodes, Gary; Kronik, Leeor; Loo, Yueh-Lin; Lubomirsky, Igor; Marder, Seth R.; Mastai, Yitzhak; Miller, Joel S.; Mitzi, David B.; Paz, Yaron; Rappe, Andrew M.; Riess, Ilan; Rybtchinski, Boris; Stafsudd, Oscar; Stevanovic, Vladan; Toney, Michael F.; Zitoun, David; Kahn, Antoine; Ginley, David; Cahen, David (2015). Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Perovskites (HOIPs): Opportunities and Challenges. Advanced Materials. 27:5102-5112.
Das, J; Siram, RBK; Cahen, D; Rybtchinski, B; Hodes, G (2015). Thiophene-modified perylenediimide as hole transporting material in hybrid lead bromide perovskite solar cells. Journal of Materials Chemistry A. 3:20305-20312.
Tidhar, Y; Edri, E; Weissman, H; Zohar, D; Hodes, G; Cahen, D; Rybtchinski, B; Kirmayer, S (2014). Crystallization of Methyl Ammonium Lead Halide Perovskites: Implications for Photovoltaic Applications. Journal Of The American Chemical Society. 136:13249-13256.
