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Synergistic crystallization regulation by a multifunctional additive for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells

Zixin Lei1, 2, Chunlan Zhou1, 2, , Jinli Yang1, 2, Sinuo Chen1, 2, Lichun Wang1, 2, Tian Hou3, Jinzhao Qin3 and Yuelong Huang3,

+ Author Affiliations

 Corresponding author: Chunlan Zhou, zhouchl@mail.iee.ac.cn; Yuelong Huang, hyl@phoenixolar.com

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/26050010CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.26050010

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Abstract: The crystallization kinetics of wide-bandgap perovskite thin films inevitably generate abundant defects at grain boundaries and surfaces, which act as non-radiative recombination centers and degradation initiation sites. Here, we introduce 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)aniline as an additive into the precursor solution. It promotes grain growth, improves grain quality, chemically passivates defects to reduce non-radiative recombination. Meanwhile, hydrophobic fluorine groups form a moisture-repellent barrier. The optimized perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell achieves a champion efficiency of 32.70%. After 500 h of maximum power point tracking under illumination at room temperature in N2 atmosphere, the unencapsulated device retains 91% of its initial power conversion efficiency (PCE), significantly higher than that of the control device (72%), demonstrating excellent operational stability. This additive engineering offers an effective strategy to boost both efficiency and stability in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells.

Keywords: perovskite/silicon tandem solar cellswide-bandgap perovskiteadditive engineeringcrystallization regulationdefect passivation



[1]
Park S M, Wei M Y, Lempesis N, et al. Low-loss contacts on textured substrates for inverted perovskite solar cells. Nature, 2023, 624(7991): 289 doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06745-7
[2]
Cheng J, Choi I, Kim W, et al. Wide-band-gap (2.0 eV) perovskite solar cells with a VOC of 1.325 V fabricated by a green-solvent strategy. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2023, 15(19): 23077 doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c00895
[3]
Caprioglio P, Smith J A, Oliver R D J, et al. Open-circuit and short-circuit loss management in wide-gap perovskite p-i-n solar cells. Nat Commun, 2023, 14: 932 doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-36141-8
[4]
Xiong Z, Zhang Q, Cai K, et al. Homogenized chlorine distribution for >27% power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells. Science, 2025, 390(6773): 638 doi: 10.1126/science.adw8780
[5]
Wang Z Y, Song Z N, Yan Y F, et al. Perovskite: A perfect top cell for tandem devices to break the S-Q limit. Adv Sci, 2019, 6(7): 1801704 doi: 10.1002/advs.201801704
[6]
Wang J, Liu H, Zhao Y, et al. Perovskite-based tandem solar cells gallop ahead. Joule, 2022, 6(3): 509 doi: 10.1016/j.joule.2022.02.011
[7]
Wang X L, Ying Z Q, Zheng J M, et al. Long-chain anionic surfactants enabling stable perovskite/silicon tandems with greatly suppressed stress corrosion. Nat Commun, 2023, 14: 2166 doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37877-z
[8]
Hörantner M T, Leijtens T, Ziffer M E, et al. The potential of multijunction perovskite solar cells. ACS Energy Lett, 2017, 2(10): 2506 doi: 10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00647
[9]
Zhang Z H, Qiao L, Meng K, et al. Rationalization of passivation strategies toward high-performance perovskite solar cells. Chem Soc Rev, 2023, 52(1): 163 doi: 10.1039/D2CS00217E
[10]
Li T T, Pan Y F, Wang Z, et al. Additive engineering for highly efficient organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells: Recent advances and perspectives. J Mater Chem A, 2017, 5(25): 12602 doi: 10.1039/C7TA01798G
[11]
Zhang F, Zhu K. Additive engineering for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. Adv Energy Mater, 2020, 10(13): 1902579 doi: 10.1002/aenm.201902579
[12]
Zhao C X, Zhang Q, Lyu Y A, et al. Regulating the crystallization of FAPbI3-Based perovskite with a furan substituted ethylammonium additive for achieving highly efficient solar cells. Adv Funct Mater, 2024, 34(41): 2404099 doi: 10.1002/adfm.202404099
[13]
Li F Z, Deng X, Shi Z S, et al. Hydrogen-bond-bridged intermediate for perovskite solar cells with enhanced efficiency and stability. Nat Photonics, 2023, 17(6): 478 doi: 10.1038/s41566-023-01180-6
[14]
Zhang Q Q, Kelly M A, Bauer N, et al. The curious case of fluorination of conjugated polymers for solar cells. Acc Chem Res, 2017, 50(9): 2401 doi: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00326
[15]
Tang M L, Bao Z N. Halogenated materials as organic semiconductors. Chem Mater, 2011, 23(3): 446 doi: 10.1021/cm102182x
[16]
Yao H F, Wang J W, Xu Y, et al. Recent progress in chlorinated organic photovoltaic materials. Acc Chem Res, 2020, 53(4): 822 doi: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00009
[17]
Price S C, Stuart A C, Yang L Q, et al. Fluorine substituted conjugated polymer of medium band gap yields 7% efficiency in Polymer-Fullerene solar cells. J Am Chem Soc, 2011, 133(12): 4625 doi: 10.1021/ja1112595
[18]
Nguyen T L, Choi H, Ko S J, et al. Semi-crystalline photovoltaic polymers with efficiency exceeding 9% in a ~300 nm thick conventional single-cell device. Energy Environ Sci, 2014, 7(9): 3040 doi: 10.1039/C4EE01529K
[19]
Babudri F, Farinola G M, Naso F, et al. Fluorinated organic materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications: The role of the fluorine atom. ChemInform, 2007, 38(25): 200725280 doi: 10.1002/chin.200725280
[20]
Zhou J J, Li H, Tan L G, et al. Tuning hole transport properties via pyrrole derivation for high-performance perovskite solar cells. Angew Chem Int Ed, 2023, 62(15): e202300314 doi: 10.1002/anie.202300314
[21]
Liu C, Liu S, Wang Y F, et al. Improving the performance of perovskite solar cells via a novel additive of N, 1-fluoroformamidinium iodide with electron-withdrawing fluorine group. Adv Funct Mater, 2021, 31(18): 2010603 doi: 10.1002/adfm.202010603
[22]
Zhao S H, Xie J S, Cheng G H, et al. General nondestructive passivation by 4-fluoroaniline for perovskite solar cells with improved performance and stability. Small, 2018, 14(50): 1803350 doi: 10.1002/smll.201803350
[23]
Yang J, Liu C, Cai C S, et al. High-performance perovskite solar cells with excellent humidity and thermo-stability via fluorinated perylenediimide. Adv Energy Mater, 2019, 9(18): 1900198 doi: 10.1002/aenm.201900198
[24]
Zheng X P, Hou Y, Bao C X, et al. Managing grains and interfaces via ligand anchoring enables 22.3%-efficiency inverted perovskite solar cells. Nat Energy, 2020, 5(2): 131 doi: 10.1038/s41560-019-0538-4
[25]
Chen S N, Zhou C L, Zhou S, et al. Interface engineering for 30 %-efficient perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells fabricated by hybrid two-step deposition. Chem Eng J, 2025, 526: 170659 doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.170659
[26]
Zou Y T, Teng P P, Xu W D, et al. Manipulating crystallization dynamics through chelating molecules for bright perovskite emitters. Nat Commun, 2021, 12: 4831 doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-25092-7
[27]
Li C, Chen Y, Li Y H, et al. Achieving 32% efficiency in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with bidentate-anchored superwetting self-assembled molecular layers. Angew Chem Int Ed, 2025, 64(23): e202502730 doi: 10.1002/anie.202502730
[28]
Castriotta L A, Infantino R, Vesce L, et al. Stable methylammonium-free p-i-n perovskite solar cells and mini-modules with phenothiazine dimers as hole-transporting materials. ENERGY ENVIRONMENTAL Mater, 2023, 6(6): e12455 doi: 10.1002/eem2.12455
Fig. 1.  (Color online) Structure and morphology of wide-bandgap perovskite films. (a) XRD patterns of perovskite films prepared with different concentrations of 3,5-BTMA; SEM image of films (b) without additive; (c) with 0.35% additive; (d) with 1% additive; The grain size distribution of perovskite films (e) without additive; (f) with 0.35% additive;(g) with 1% additive.

Fig. 2.  (Color online) Chemical state and photoluminescence characterization of perovskite films. (a) XPS spectra of Pb 4f levels for control and additive-treated perovskite films; (b) XPS spectra of I 3d levels; (c) FTIR spectra obtained from control and target perovskite films; (d) PL spectra; (e) TRPL spectra; (f) SCLC plots for the hole-only devices; (g) Comparison of defect density between control and target perovskite films extracted from SCLC measurements.

Fig. 3.  (Color online) Surface roughness and water contact angle characterization of perovskite films. (a) AFM image of control perovskite film; (b) AFM image of additive-treated perovskite film; (c) Water contact angle (CA) of control film; (d) Water contact angle of additive-treated film.

Fig. 4.  (Color online) Photovoltaic performance of wide-bandgap perovskite p-i-n single-junction devices. (a) PCE; (b) FF; (c) Voc; (d) Jsc for single-junction perovskite solar cells with different additive concentrations.

Fig. 5.  (Color online) Photovoltaic performance of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. (a) Schematic device structure; (b) J-V curves of champion tandem cells; (c) PCE; (d) FF; (e) Voc; (f) Jsc for tandem cells with different additive concentrations.

Fig. 6.  (Color online) Performance of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. (a) EQE spectra of the perovskite top cell and HJT bottom cell; (b) EQE spectrum of the single-junction wide-bandgap perovskite solar cell (target device with 0.35% additive); (c) Voc dependence on light intensity; (d) Electrochemical impedance spectra; (e) SPO diagram of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells; (f) Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) output under 1-sun illumination in a nitrogen atmosphere at room temperature.

[1]
Park S M, Wei M Y, Lempesis N, et al. Low-loss contacts on textured substrates for inverted perovskite solar cells. Nature, 2023, 624(7991): 289 doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06745-7
[2]
Cheng J, Choi I, Kim W, et al. Wide-band-gap (2.0 eV) perovskite solar cells with a VOC of 1.325 V fabricated by a green-solvent strategy. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2023, 15(19): 23077 doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c00895
[3]
Caprioglio P, Smith J A, Oliver R D J, et al. Open-circuit and short-circuit loss management in wide-gap perovskite p-i-n solar cells. Nat Commun, 2023, 14: 932 doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-36141-8
[4]
Xiong Z, Zhang Q, Cai K, et al. Homogenized chlorine distribution for >27% power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells. Science, 2025, 390(6773): 638 doi: 10.1126/science.adw8780
[5]
Wang Z Y, Song Z N, Yan Y F, et al. Perovskite: A perfect top cell for tandem devices to break the S-Q limit. Adv Sci, 2019, 6(7): 1801704 doi: 10.1002/advs.201801704
[6]
Wang J, Liu H, Zhao Y, et al. Perovskite-based tandem solar cells gallop ahead. Joule, 2022, 6(3): 509 doi: 10.1016/j.joule.2022.02.011
[7]
Wang X L, Ying Z Q, Zheng J M, et al. Long-chain anionic surfactants enabling stable perovskite/silicon tandems with greatly suppressed stress corrosion. Nat Commun, 2023, 14: 2166 doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37877-z
[8]
Hörantner M T, Leijtens T, Ziffer M E, et al. The potential of multijunction perovskite solar cells. ACS Energy Lett, 2017, 2(10): 2506 doi: 10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00647
[9]
Zhang Z H, Qiao L, Meng K, et al. Rationalization of passivation strategies toward high-performance perovskite solar cells. Chem Soc Rev, 2023, 52(1): 163 doi: 10.1039/D2CS00217E
[10]
Li T T, Pan Y F, Wang Z, et al. Additive engineering for highly efficient organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells: Recent advances and perspectives. J Mater Chem A, 2017, 5(25): 12602 doi: 10.1039/C7TA01798G
[11]
Zhang F, Zhu K. Additive engineering for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. Adv Energy Mater, 2020, 10(13): 1902579 doi: 10.1002/aenm.201902579
[12]
Zhao C X, Zhang Q, Lyu Y A, et al. Regulating the crystallization of FAPbI3-Based perovskite with a furan substituted ethylammonium additive for achieving highly efficient solar cells. Adv Funct Mater, 2024, 34(41): 2404099 doi: 10.1002/adfm.202404099
[13]
Li F Z, Deng X, Shi Z S, et al. Hydrogen-bond-bridged intermediate for perovskite solar cells with enhanced efficiency and stability. Nat Photonics, 2023, 17(6): 478 doi: 10.1038/s41566-023-01180-6
[14]
Zhang Q Q, Kelly M A, Bauer N, et al. The curious case of fluorination of conjugated polymers for solar cells. Acc Chem Res, 2017, 50(9): 2401 doi: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00326
[15]
Tang M L, Bao Z N. Halogenated materials as organic semiconductors. Chem Mater, 2011, 23(3): 446 doi: 10.1021/cm102182x
[16]
Yao H F, Wang J W, Xu Y, et al. Recent progress in chlorinated organic photovoltaic materials. Acc Chem Res, 2020, 53(4): 822 doi: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00009
[17]
Price S C, Stuart A C, Yang L Q, et al. Fluorine substituted conjugated polymer of medium band gap yields 7% efficiency in Polymer-Fullerene solar cells. J Am Chem Soc, 2011, 133(12): 4625 doi: 10.1021/ja1112595
[18]
Nguyen T L, Choi H, Ko S J, et al. Semi-crystalline photovoltaic polymers with efficiency exceeding 9% in a ~300 nm thick conventional single-cell device. Energy Environ Sci, 2014, 7(9): 3040 doi: 10.1039/C4EE01529K
[19]
Babudri F, Farinola G M, Naso F, et al. Fluorinated organic materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications: The role of the fluorine atom. ChemInform, 2007, 38(25): 200725280 doi: 10.1002/chin.200725280
[20]
Zhou J J, Li H, Tan L G, et al. Tuning hole transport properties via pyrrole derivation for high-performance perovskite solar cells. Angew Chem Int Ed, 2023, 62(15): e202300314 doi: 10.1002/anie.202300314
[21]
Liu C, Liu S, Wang Y F, et al. Improving the performance of perovskite solar cells via a novel additive of N, 1-fluoroformamidinium iodide with electron-withdrawing fluorine group. Adv Funct Mater, 2021, 31(18): 2010603 doi: 10.1002/adfm.202010603
[22]
Zhao S H, Xie J S, Cheng G H, et al. General nondestructive passivation by 4-fluoroaniline for perovskite solar cells with improved performance and stability. Small, 2018, 14(50): 1803350 doi: 10.1002/smll.201803350
[23]
Yang J, Liu C, Cai C S, et al. High-performance perovskite solar cells with excellent humidity and thermo-stability via fluorinated perylenediimide. Adv Energy Mater, 2019, 9(18): 1900198 doi: 10.1002/aenm.201900198
[24]
Zheng X P, Hou Y, Bao C X, et al. Managing grains and interfaces via ligand anchoring enables 22.3%-efficiency inverted perovskite solar cells. Nat Energy, 2020, 5(2): 131 doi: 10.1038/s41560-019-0538-4
[25]
Chen S N, Zhou C L, Zhou S, et al. Interface engineering for 30 %-efficient perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells fabricated by hybrid two-step deposition. Chem Eng J, 2025, 526: 170659 doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.170659
[26]
Zou Y T, Teng P P, Xu W D, et al. Manipulating crystallization dynamics through chelating molecules for bright perovskite emitters. Nat Commun, 2021, 12: 4831 doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-25092-7
[27]
Li C, Chen Y, Li Y H, et al. Achieving 32% efficiency in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with bidentate-anchored superwetting self-assembled molecular layers. Angew Chem Int Ed, 2025, 64(23): e202502730 doi: 10.1002/anie.202502730
[28]
Castriotta L A, Infantino R, Vesce L, et al. Stable methylammonium-free p-i-n perovskite solar cells and mini-modules with phenothiazine dimers as hole-transporting materials. ENERGY ENVIRONMENTAL Mater, 2023, 6(6): e12455 doi: 10.1002/eem2.12455
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    Received: 09 May 2025 Revised: Online: Accepted Manuscript: 07 August 2026

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      Zixin Lei, Chunlan Zhou, Jinli Yang, Sinuo Chen, Lichun Wang, Tian Hou, Jinzhao Qin, Yuelong Huang. Synergistic crystallization regulation by a multifunctional additive for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2026, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26050010 ****Z X Lei, C L Zhou, J L Yang, S N Chen, L C Wang, T Hou, J Z Qin, and Y L Huang, Synergistic crystallization regulation by a multifunctional additive for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells[J]. J. Semicond., 2026, accepted doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26050010
      Citation:
      Zixin Lei, Chunlan Zhou, Jinli Yang, Sinuo Chen, Lichun Wang, Tian Hou, Jinzhao Qin, Yuelong Huang. Synergistic crystallization regulation by a multifunctional additive for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2026, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26050010 ****
      Z X Lei, C L Zhou, J L Yang, S N Chen, L C Wang, T Hou, J Z Qin, and Y L Huang, Synergistic crystallization regulation by a multifunctional additive for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells[J]. J. Semicond., 2026, accepted doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26050010

      Synergistic crystallization regulation by a multifunctional additive for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells

      DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/26050010
      CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.26050010
      More Information
      • Zixin Lei was born in China in 2000. She received the bachelor’s degree from Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, China, in 2000. Now she is a master’s student at University of Chinese Academy of Sciences under the supervision of Prof. Chunlan Zhou. Her research focus on production technology of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, with a particular emphasis on interface engineering, defect suppression, and carrier dynamics optimization
      • Chunlan Zhou was born in China in 1977. She received the bachelor’s degree from Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China, in 2000, and the Doctoral degree from the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China, in 2005.From 2005 to 2006, she was a Lecturer with the Institute of Low Energy Nuclear Physics, Beijing Normal University. Since 2006, she has been a Professor with the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on production technology of the high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cell and tandem solar cells, the degradation mechanism and suppression strategy of solar cells
      • Yuelong Huang is a second-level professor and Ph.D. supervisor at Southwest Petroleum University. He is a national distinguished expert of China's “Thousand Talents Program” and a member of the Photovoltaic Professional Committee of the China Renewable Energy Society. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Hagen, Germany. He has previously worked at the Jülich Research Center in Germany and co-founded Tianwei Thin-Film Photovoltaic Co., Ltd. He founded the Photovoltaic Industry Technology Research Institute at Southwest Petroleum University and later established Huzhou Quehuo Photoelectric Co., Ltd. His research focuses on the R&D and industrialization of photovoltaic cells. He has published nearly 100 papers in leading journals such as Joule, Energy Environ. Sci., and Adv. Energy Mater
      • Corresponding author: zhouchl@mail.iee.ac.cnhyl@phoenixolar.com
      • Received Date: 2025-05-09
        Available Online: 2026-08-07

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