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Photocorrosion limits the efficiency and stability of gallium arsenide photoanodes. Here the authors report crystalline TiO2 passivation with Ni-phosphate hole-sink layer which enables rapid charge transport for enhanced photostability of 110 h.

We correlate lab test and field test results to better predict the performance of perovskite photovoltaics as a step towards real-world implementation.

Perovskite solar cells are an emerging energy technology but their sustainability is jeopardized by the presence of Pb. Here the authors introduce on-device layers that could capture over 99.9% of leaked Pb.

Ion migration is a plausible origin of material instability and photocurrent hysteresis in perovskite solar cells. Here, authors characterize photo-induced ion migration in perovskites by in situ laser illumination inside scanning electron microscope and observe long-range migration of halide ions.

Tong et al. form a 2D perovskite layer with two large organic cations to improve the structural and optoelectronic properties of Sn–Pb perovskites, and eventually the performance of single-junction and tandem solar cells.

A reactive surface engineering approach is used to produce an inverted perovskite solar cell that reaches a power conversion efficiency of 25% and has good operational stability.

Perovskite-based solar cells are often fabricated by methods that are not industrially scalable. Here, Yang et al. develop an ink formulation which gives similar devices by spin coating, the lab-scale standard, and blade coating, which is a more scalable, industry-relevant deposition method.

Organolead halide perovskite optoelectronic devices require high material quality. Here, Yang et al. show that methylammonium lead iodide films can undergo Ostwald ripening and become mixed-halide films using methylammonium bromide treatment. This processing increases both the device efficiency and stability.

Understanding surface carrier dynamics enables the design of optimal optoelectronic devices. Yang et al. find that surface recombination limits the total carrier lifetime in polycrystalline lead iodide perovskite films, meaning recombination at surfaces is more important than within and between grains.

Spatiotemporal dynamic of charge carriers is commonly studied with optical or photoconductivity measurements, yet these techniques come with their own limitations. To circumvent these limits, the authors probe the free-carrier diffusion dynamics of microsecond lifetimes via laser-illuminated microwave impedance microscopy.

Carrier separation and transport in solar cells need to be understood to improve efficiency. Here, Jianget al. study the junction structure in perovskite solar cells using Kelvin probe force microscopy, showing that solar cells have a p–n junction and carrier mobility is a limiting factor for device efficiency improvement.

Using lead-absorbing materials to coat the front and back of perovskite solar cells can prevent lead leaching from damaged devices, without affecting the device performance or long-term operation stability.

The recovery of North American forests is likely to impact their capacity as a carbon sink. Here, Zhu et al. show a growth in aboveground biomass in various climate change scenarios, with these forests expected to sequester no more than 22% more carbon than current levels by the 2080s.

Probing the nanoscale photoconductivity of methylammonium lead triiodide is important for understanding the microstructures of the solar cell devices, but scanning probe methods suffer from sample degradation. Here Chu et al. solve the problem with noncontact microwave impedance microscopy.

A discussion of the evolution, present status and future outlook for tandem solar cells employing perovskite materials.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a revolutionary class of photovoltaic technology. Here, we review recent progress and challenges in scaling up PSCs towards commercialization. We discuss several areas, including device architectures, deposition methods, scalable deposition of perovskite and charge transport layers, device stability, module-level characterization and techno-economic analyses.

The scalable fabrication of perovskite solar cells and solar modules requires the development of new materials and coating methods. In this Review, we discuss solution-based and vapour-phase coating methods for large-area perovskite films and examine the progress in performance and the parameters affecting large-area coatings.