Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have garnered immense attention in recent years due to their outstanding optoelectronic properties and cost-effective fabrication methods, establishing them as promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaic technologies. Among the diverse strategies aimed at enhancing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs, the incorporation of plasmonic nanoparticles has emerged as a pioneering approach. This review summarizes the latest research advancements in the utilization of plasmonic nanoparticles to enhance the performance of PSCs. We delve into the fundamental principles of plasmonic resonance and its interaction with perovskite materials, highlighting how localized surface plasmons can effectively broaden light absorption, facilitate hot-electron transfer (HET), and optimize charge separation dynamics. Recent strategies, including the design of tailored metal nanoparticles (MNPs), gratings, and hybrid plasmonic–photonic architectures, are critically evaluated for their efficacy in enhancing light trapping, increasing photocurrent, and mitigating charge recombination. Additionally, this review addresses the challenges associated with the integration of plasmonic elements into PSCs, including issues of scalability, compatibility, and cost-effectiveness. Finally, the review provides insights into future research directions aimed at advancing the field, thereby paving the way for next-generation, high-performance perovskite-based photovoltaic technologies.
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaic technology due to their remarkable power-conversion efficiencies (PCEs). Since their introduction, the PCE of PSCs has advanced from 3.8% to over 26%. Nonetheless, challenges pertaining to stability and reliability continue to impede their commercial viability. Recent progress in interface engineering and materials science has underscored the potential of two-dimensional (2D) materials, particularly MXenes, in mitigating these challenges. MXenes represent a class of two-dimensional materials with significant potential for application in PSCs, attributed to their exceptional electrical conductivity, high carrier mobility, remarkable optical transparency, chemical stability, and tunable surface chemical properties. When employed as electron transport layers, MXenes enhance charge transfer and extraction efficiency, leading to substantial improvements in PCEs. Furthermore, their integration into hole transport layers and use as interfacial modifiers contribute to the mitigation of degradation pathways, thereby enhancing device longevity. The unique structural and electronic characteristics of MXenes facilitate their application as transparent electrodes, presenting opportunities for cost reduction and improved optical properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current advancements in MXene-based PSCs, emphasizing significant accomplishments and exploring future research directions aimed at enhancing the efficiency and stability of these devices.
Surface optical losses represent one of the critical factors limiting the photogenerated current density and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To address this issue, this paper introduces a pyramid/porous composite structure on the light-facing surface of PSCs. The pyramids and porous structures are obtained on silicon surfaces via alkaline wet etching and metal-assisted chemical etching, respectively, and then replicated onto the cell surface using nanoimprint technology. The research findings indicate that the micrometer-scale pyramids induce multiple refractions of incident light, enhancing the probability of photons entering the interior of the cell. Moreover, the nanoscale porous structures on the pyramid mitigate the refractive index difference between air and the pyramid material, thereby reducing reflection losses for single-incident light. For the optimized pyramid/porous structure, a reduction in surface reflectivity from 40.3% to 5.1% is observed on silicon. Benefiting from the suppression of surface reflection losses by the pyramid/porous structure, the response spectrum of the PSCs is significantly improved. Consequently, the photogenerated current density of the device increases from 21.62 to 23.86 mA cm−2, with a relative enhancement in PCE by 9.5%.