Unraveling the Concealed Role of Activation Energy in the Performance Assessment of Perovskite Solar Cells

ABSTRACT Perovskite materials have gained remarkable attention for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications because of their versatile physical structure and chemical properties. However, the unique makeup of the perovskite crystal lattice makes it vulnerable to various types of defects originating from different intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The activation energy (E a ) plays a crucial role in estimating the possibility of the production of a defect in the perovskite lattice because of any stimulating factor, such as light or temperature, providing a reliable scale for predicting the stability of perovskites. The quantification and understanding of E a is important for limiting degradation‐induced instabilities in devices. In this review, we have summarized the role of E a in various degradation aspects, such as ion migration, phase transition, and decomposition of perovskite materials, as well as different mathematical and theoretical models employed to quantify the E a related to a particular degradation mechanism. An intriguing outlook is presented to animate the fundamental role of E a in improving the stability of perovskites for future synthesis, design, and fabrication of perovskite materials and devices.