Research progress and challenges in extending the infra-red absorption of perovskite tandem solar cells

Tandem solar cell (TSC) architectures have gained tremendous attention due to wide range absorption and high efficiency. These architectures involve the combination of multiple nanomaterials that complement absorption characteristics of each other. In recent, emerging perovskite photoactive materials with their strong absorption coefficient of high-energy photons in the UV-Vis regions, are particularly well-suited for this purpose. Integration of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and infrared (IR) absorbing solar cells in TSC significantly enhances the overall performance. This review critically examines the progress made particularly in perovskite-based TSCs, with a specific focus on the material structure, bandgap engineering, and crystallization techniques employed. Detailed descriptions and analyses are provided for the development of different types of TSCs, including perovskite/inorganic, perovskite/organic, perovskite/dye-sensitizer, perovskite/perovskite, and perovskite/quantum dots (QDs)-based solar cells. The challenges associated with perovskite-based TSCs are also highlighted, emphasizing the need for further investigation in specific areas. Overall, a comprehensive analysis presented in this review provides valuable insights into the advancements and future research directions for perovskite-based TSCs.