Iwuoha, EmmanuelMkehlane, Moleko Samuel2018-07-302024-05-092021-08-312024-05-092017https://hdl.handle.net/10566/13451Magister Scientiae - MSc (Biotechnology)Organometallic halide perovskite solar cells have developed as one of the most promising contenders for the production of solar cells. The generic perovskite (PS) structure ABX3 allows manufacturing a broad range of PS materials by simple modification of building blocks A, B, and X (A = organic group, B = metal, and X = halide). The preparation of a series of solution-processed solar cells based on methylammonium (MA) lead halide derivatives, CH3NH3PbX3 (X=Cl, Br, and I) has been reported. These solar cells showed tunable optical properties depending on the nature and ratio of the halides employed. The photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells is dependent on the absorption of the light spectrum. The photovoltaic performance can be improved by widening the light absorption towards the near infrared spectrum. A panchromatric material that absorbs all the light from the ultra-visible to near infrared of the solar spectrum is an ideal photoactive layer. The optimal bandgap for single junction solar cells is known to be 1.1 and 1.4 eV. However, the bandgaps of methylammonium lead trihalide perovskites are beyond this range, and this inspired the realization of the lower bandgap perovskites.enUniversity of the Western Cape