Carrier control in Sn–Pb perovskites via 2D cation engineering for all-perovskite tandem solar cells with improved efficiency and stability

All-perovskite tandem solar cells are promising for achieving photovoltaics with power conversion efficiencies above the detailed balance limit of single-junction cells, while retaining the low cost, light weight and other advantages associated with metal halide perovskite photovoltaics. However, the efficiency and stability of all-perovskite tandem cells are limited by the Sn–Pb-based narrow-bandgap perovskite cells. Here we show that the formation of quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) structure (PEA)2GAPb2I7 from additives based on mixed bulky organic cations phenethylammonium (PEA+) and guanidinium (GA+) provides critical defect control to substantially improve the structural and optoelectronic properties of the narrow-bandgap (1.25 eV) Sn–Pb perovskite thin films. This 2D additive engineering results in Sn–Pb-based absorbers with low dark carrier density (~1.3 × 1014 cm−3), long bulk carrier lifetime (~9.2 μs) and low surface recombination velocity (~1.4 cm s−1), leading to 22.1%-efficient single-junction Sn–Pb perovskite cells and 25.5%-efficient all-perovskite two-terminal tandems with high photovoltage and long operational stability. 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.