Copper phenanthroline complexes in the solid phase can act as efficient molecular hole transporting material (HTM) for hybrid solar cells. We prepared solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells with the organic dye LEG4 and bis(2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)copper(I/II) (Cu(dmp)₂) and achieved power conversion efficiencies of more than 8% under 1000 W m⁻² AM1.5G illumination, with open-circuit potentials of more than 1.0 V. The successful application of a copper-complex based HTM paves the way for low-cost and efficient hybrid solar cells, as well as for other opto-electronic devices.

A self-assembled monolayer of DCB-BPA hole-selective layer facilitates the improved buried-interface quality, leading to a certified V_OC of 1.339 V of 1.77 eV wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells.

All-perovskite tandem solar cells (TSCs) have exhibited higher efficiencies than single-junction perovskite solar cells (PSCs) but still suffer from the unsatisfactory performance of low-bandgap (LBG) tin-lead (Sn-Pb) subcells. The inherent properties of PEDOT:PSS are crucial to high-performance Sn-Pb perovskite films and devices; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully explored and revealed. Here, we report a facile oxalic acid treatment of PEDOT:PSS (OA-PEDOT:PSS) to precisely regulate its work function and surface morphology. OA-PEDOT:PSS shows a larger work function and an ordered reorientation and fiber-shaped film morphology with efficient hole transport pathways, leading to the formation of more ideal hole-selective contact with Sn-Pb perovskite for suppressing interfacial nonradiative recombination losses. Moreover, OA-PEDOT:PSS induces (100) preferred orientation growth of perovskite for higher-quality Sn-Pb films. Last, the OA-PEDOT:PSS–tailored LBG PSC yields an impressive efficiency of up to 22.56% (certified 21.88%), enabling 27.81% efficient all-perovskite TSC with enhanced operational stability.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have displayed unpredictable potential in efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Yet most of SAMs are largely suitable for pure Pb-based devices, precisely developing promising hole-selective contacts (HSCs) for Sn-based PSCs and exploring the underlying general mechanism are fundamentally desired. Here, based on the prototypical donor-acceptor SAM MPA-BT-BA (BT), oligoether side chains with different length (i.e., methoxy, 2-methoxyethoxy, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy group) were custom-introduced on the benzothiadiazole unit to produce the target SAMs with acronyms MPA-MBT-BA (MBT), MPA-EBT-BA (EBT), and MPA-MEBT-BA (MEBT), respectively, and acting as HSCs for efficient Sn-Pb PSCs and all-perovskite tandems. The introduction of oligoether side chains enables HSCs effectively accelerate hole extraction, regulate the crystal growth and passivate surface defects of Sn-Pb perovskites. In particular, benefiting from the enhanced Sn-Pb perovskite film quality and the suppressed interfacial non-radiative recombination losses, EBT-tailored LBG devices yield a champion efficiency of 23.54%, enabling 28.61% efficient monolithic all-perovskite tandems with an impressive V_OC of 2.155 V and excellent operational stability as well as 28.22%-efficiency 4-T tandems.