Perovskite/Si tandem solar cells: Fundamentals, advances, challenges, and novel applications

Abstract

Abstract The world record device efficiency of single‐junction solar cells based on organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites has reached 25.5%. Further improvement in device power conversion efficiency (PCE) can be achieved by either optimizing perovskite films or designing novel device structures such as perovskite/Si tandem solar cells. With the marriage of perovskite and Si solar cells, a tandem device configuration is able to achieve a PCE exceeding the Shockley–Queisser limit of single‐junction solar cells by enhancing the usage of solar spectrum. After several years of development, the highest PCE of the perovskite/Si tandem cell has reached 29.5%, which is higher than that of perovskite‐ and Si‐based single‐junction cells. Here, in this review, we will (1) first discuss the device structure and fundamental working principle of both two‐terminal (2T) and four‐terminal (4T) perovskite/Si tandem solar cells; (2) second, provide a brief overview of the advances of perovskite/Si tandem solar cells regarding the development of interconnection layer, perovskite active layer, tandem device structure, and light management strategies; (3) third, discuss the challenges and opportunities for further developing perovskite/Si tandem solar cells. This review article, on the one hand, provides a comprehensive understanding to readers on the development of perovskite/Si tandems. On the other hand, it proposes various novel applications that may bring such tandems into the market in a near future.

Keywords

• 2‐terminal
• 4‐terminal
• innovative applications
• interconnection layer
• optical losses
• perovskite bandgap engineering