Emerging Photovoltaics: Organic, Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide, and Perovskite-Based Solar Cells

Table 4

A comparison of common fabrication techniques.

Method	Description	Advantages	Disadvantages
One-step solution deposition	A solution of the organic and inorganic components dissolved in a solvent is spin-coated on a substrate to give perovskite	Cost-effective, straightforward to implement	Poor film formation leads to limited efficiency, choice of a solvent that can simultaneously dissolve both components is limited, spin-coating is inherently a batch process, which may limit production speed
Two-step solution-based processing	First, a solution of the inorganic component is spin-coated followed by spin-coating of a solution of the organic component	Better photovoltaic performance compared to one-step methods	Less control over film thickness as compared to vacuum processes
Dual-source vapor deposition	The organic and inorganic components are coevaporated in an as-deposited ratio; deposition is followed by thermal annealing	Better film uniformity, as compared to solution processes leading to better efficiencies	Vacuum process, which leads to high energy requirements; difficulties in simultaneously controlling the deposition rates of both components, leading to an undesirable stoichiometric film
Sequential vapor deposition	A bilayer film of the inorganic and organic components is prepared by sequential deposition; subsequent vacuum deposition of the organic component is followed by thermal annealing	Eliminates problems of one-step codeposition	Vacuum process, which leads to high energy requirements, higher costs, limiting mass production
Vapor assisted solution process	Inorganic component is deposited by spin-coating followed by exposure to the vapor of the organic component at an elevated temperature	Combination of vapor and solution-based processes gives better film quality
Electrodeposition	The inorganic film is electrochemically deposited followed by a solid state in situ reaction with inorganic layer to give perovskite	Environmentally friendly, usually nontoxic; has been commercially used