Document Type : Review Article
Authors
1 Higher School of Science and Technology of Hammam Sousse, The University of Sousse, Tunisia
2 Nanomaterials and Systems for Renewable Energy Laboratory, Research and Technology Center of Energy, Technoparc Borj Cedria, BP 095, Hammam Lif, Tunisia
Abstract
Perovskite solar cells have rapidly advanced due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties, but achieving uniform crystallization and stability remains challenging. This review examines solvent-assisted annealing, including solvent-vapor and anti-solvent treatments as a strategy to modulate perovskite crystallization for enhanced device performance. Solvent vapors (e.g. DMF, DMSO, alcohol mixtures) introduced during thermal annealing sustain a supersaturated environment that extends nucleation and enables Ostwald ripening, yielding markedly larger grain sizes and improved crystallinity. Studies show that solvent annealing can increase MAPbI3 carrier diffusion lengths beyond 1 μm and maintain >14.5% efficiency even for films up to 1 μm thick. Advanced schemes, such as combined DMSO-water vapor annealing, have produced nearly single-crystal grains and devices with 19.5% power conversion efficiency (PCE), by reducing defect-mediated recombination. These microstructural gains translate into higher PCE and stability: solvent-annealed films exhibit fewer trap sites and inhibited moisture degradation. Finally, we address scalability: ambient solvent-antisolvent treatments have yielded >5 μm grains with 100% film coverage in large-area Perovskite solar cells. Overall, solvent annealing emerges as a powerful tool for tailoring perovskite films. This review synthesizes the mechanisms and performance benefits of solvent annealing and evaluates its prospects for scalable, industrialized PSC fabrication. By identifying key challenges and emerging solutions, it aims to guide future research efforts toward more efficient and manufacturable perovskite solar technologies.
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