Breakthrough in Nanotechnology: Researchers Achieve 27.06% Power Conversion Efficiency in Triple-Junction Solar Cells

Researchers at the University of Sydney have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of nanotechnology, developing triple-junction solar cells that outperform their double-junction and single-junction counterparts in power conversion efficiency. According to the study, the researchers have successfully addressed surface defects in the top perovskite junction by introducing a piperazine-1,4-diium chloride treatment, which replaces less stable lithium fluoride. The team also optimized the size of gold nanoparticles deposited on atomic layer-deposited tin oxide for best ohmic contacting with minimal optical losses.

Key Takeaways:

• The researchers achieved a third-party-verified reverse-scan power conversion efficiency of 27.06% with an open circuit voltage of 3.16 V in a 1-cm triple-junction cell.
• The device produced a certified steady-state power conversion efficiency of 23.3% when scaled up to 16 cm.
• Device longevity improved by eliminating methylammonium and incorporating rubidium into the perovskite bulk alongside the piperazine-1,4-diium chloride surface layer.
• The encapsulated 1-cm cell retained 95% of its initial efficiency after 407 h at maximum power point and passed the IEC 61215 thermal cycling test.
• The research is a significant step towards efficient and stable perovskite-perovskite-silicon triple-junction solar cells.
• The team's findings have been peer-reviewed and published in Nature Nanotechnology.

Statistics:

• 27.06%: Power conversion efficiency of the 1-cm triple-junction cell
• 23.3%: Certified steady-state power conversion efficiency of the 16-cm device
• 95%: Retention of initial efficiency in the encapsulated 1-cm cell after 407 h
• 3.16 V: Open circuit voltage of the 1-cm triple-junction cell
• 407 h: Duration of the maximum power point test
• 16 cm: Size of the device produced in the scaled-up version

Sources:

• Tailoring nanoscale interfaces for perovskite-perovskite-silicon triple-junction solar cells. Nature Nanotechnology, 2025.
• Nature Nanotechnology can be contacted at: Nature Portfolio, Heidelberger Platz 3, Berlin, 14197, Germany. (Nature Publishing Group - www.nature.com/; Nature Nanotechnology - www.nature.com/nnano/)
• University of Sydney School of Physics, contact: Jianghui Zheng