Stability in Perovskite Photovoltaics: A Paradigm for Newfangled Technologies

While halide perovskites embody some of the most ideal photovoltaic properties, the breakthrough into the commercial marketplace is still uncertain and high risk. The major technical hurdle that still must be overcome is durability. This Perspective lays out our view of the ultimate needs for perovskite solar cell stability research to flourish. We outline a paradigm for conceptualizing stability as a tiered system of material, cell, and module. In cell-level studies, in particular, we propose the adoption of transferrable and flexible testing protocols. We believe that the adoption of standard testing protocols could dramatically improve the translatability of insights between laboratories working in this area worldwide; however, improved protocols alone will by no means replace the need for mechanistic insight into degradation mechanisms at all levels of perovskite solar cell stability. We believe that knowledge of degradation science is what will ultimately push perovskite solar cell modules from promise to production.