Air-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives

With increasing demand for renewable energy, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a promising alternative due to their high efficiency and solution-based manufacturing processes. However, the fabrication of PSCs in ambient conditions, as opposed to inert environments, remains challenging due to environmental factors such as moisture and oxygen that degrade perovskite materials. Developing air-processed PSCs is therefore critical for reducing fabrication cost, simplifying manufacturing infrastructure, and enabling scalable production compatible with industrial processes. Moreover, air processing represents a key step toward realistic deployment, bridging the gap between laboratory demonstrations and commercial applications. This perspective discusses the progress of air-processed PSCs, highlights the environmental challenges related to stability and performance, and outlines potential strategies for future research, including precursor chemistry, solvent and additive engineering, and interface optimization. In addition, emerging scalable deposition techniques, automated platforms, and machine learning-assisted control are expected to accelerate device optimization and reproducibility. Despite remaining challenges, commercializing air-processed PSCs is increasingly viable, promising a sustainable and efficient approach for solar energy technology.