Stabilizing Surface Passivation Enables Stable Operation of Colloidal Quantum Dot Photovoltaic Devices at Maximum Power Point in an Air Ambient

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are promising materials for photovoltaic (PV) applications owing to their size‐tunable bandgap and solution processing. However, reports on CQD PV stability have been limited so far to storage in the dark; or operation illuminated, but under an inert atmosphere. CQD PV devices that are stable under continuous operation in air have yet to be demonstrated—a limitation that is shown here to arise due to rapid oxidation of both CQDs and surface passivation. Here, a stable CQD PV device under continuous operation in air is demonstrated by introducing additional potassium iodide (KI) on the CQD surface that acts as a shielding layer and thus stands in the way of oxidation of the CQD surface. The devices (unencapsulated) retain >80% of their initial efficiency following 300 h of continuous operation in air, whereas CQD PV devices without KI lose the amount of performance within just 21 h. KI shielding also provides improved surface passivation and, as a result, a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.6% compared with 11.4% for control devices. Stable colloidal quantum dot (CQD) photovoltaic devices under continuous device operation in air are demonstrated by potassium iodide shielding. The shielding layer protects the CQDs and their surface passivation from oxidation, resulting in ≈80% of their initial efficiency after 300 hours of device operation in air, whereas the devices without shielding degrade by the same amount in just 21 h.