Roadmap on organic inorganic hybrid perovskite semiconductors and devices

Metal halide perovskites are the first solution processed semiconductors that can compete in their functionality with conventional semiconductors, such as silicon. Over the past several years, perovskite semiconductors have reported breakthroughs in various optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells, photodetectors, light emitting and memory devices, and so on. Until now, perovskite semiconductors face challenges regarding their stability, reproducibility, and toxicity. In this Roadmap, we combine the expertise of chemistry, physics, and device engineering from leading experts in the perovskite research community to focus on the fundamental material properties, the fabrication methods, characterization and photophysical properties, perovskite devices, and current challenges in this field. We develop a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art and offer readers an informed perspective of where this field is heading and what challenges we have to overcome to get to successful commercializatio

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Tandem and multi-junction organic solar cells

Abstract in Chapte

Introduction to the issue on next-generation organic and hybrid solar cells

The 41 papers in this special issue focus on next-generation organic and hybrid solar cells

A 4% efficient organic solar cell using a fluorinated fused subphthalocyanine dimer as an electron acceptor

status: publishe

Decreased recombination through the use of a non-fullerene acceptor in a 6.4% efficient organic planar heterojunction solar cell

An optimization of several aspects of planar heterojunction solar cells based on boron subnaphthalocyanine chloride (SubNc) as a donor material is presented. The use of hexachlorinated boron subphthalocyanine chloride (Cl-6 SubPc) as an alternative acceptor to C-60 allows for the simultaneous increase of the short-circuit current, fill factor, and open-circuit voltage compared to cells with fullerene acceptors. This is due to the complementary absorption of Cl-6 SubPc versus SubNc, reduced recombination at the hetero-interface, and improved energetic alignment. Furthermore, insertion of a thin diindeno[1,2,3-cd:1', 2', 3'-lm] perylene (DIP) layer at the anode results in a very significant 60% increase in photocurrent owing to reduced exciton quenching at the anode. The simultaneous improvement of all three solar cell parameters results in a power conversion efficiency of 6.4% for a non-fullerene planar heterojunction cell.status: publishe

Hall Effect in Polycrystalline Organic Semiconductors: The Effect of Grain Boundaries

Highly crystalline thin films in organic semiconductors are important for applications in high-performance organic optoelectronics. Here, the effect of grain boundaries on the Hall effect and charge transport properties of organic transistors based on two exemplary benchmark systems is elucidated: (1) solution-processed blends of 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C-8-BTBT) small molecule and indacenodithiophene-benzothiadiazole (C16IDT-BT) conjugated polymer, and (2) large-area vacuum evaporated polycrystalline thin films of rubrene (C42H28). It is discovered that, despite the high field-effect mobilities of up to 6 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) and the evidence of a delocalized band-like charge transport, the Hall effect in polycrystalline organic transistors is systematically and significantly underdeveloped, with the carrier coherence factor alpha < 1 (i.e., yields an underestimated Hall mobility and an overestimated carrier density). A model based on capacitively charged grain boundaries explaining this unusual behavior is described. This work significantly advances the understanding of magneto-transport properties of organic semiconductor thin films.11Nsciescopu