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Dr Xu Liu

Dr Xu Liu

Lecturer
Engineering
Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering

Dr Xu Liu earned his PhD from the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW in 2018. He previously served as an ACAP Research Fellow and is currently an ARC DECRA Fellow and Lecturer at UNSW. For more than ten years, Dr Liu has focused his research on efficient, stable and low-cost thin-film and tandem solar cells. His work spans a variety of energy materials for solar photovoltaic applications, initially exploring earth-abundant chalcogenide semiconductors before transitioning to inorganic-organic perovskite materials.
E-mail
xu.liu2@unsw.edu.au
Location
RM210WS17, Tyree Energy Technologies Building (Building H6), School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW,2052, Australia.
  • Journal articles | 2026
    Qian C; Sun K; Huang J; Yang J; Cong J; He M; Li Z; Feng Z; Liu X; Tang R; Green M; Chen T; Hao X, 2026, 'Regulation of hydrothermal reaction kinetics with sodium sulfide for certified 10.7% efficiency Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells', Nature Energy, 11, pp. 415 - 424, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01952-0
    Journal articles | 2026
    Wang A; Huang J; Cong J; Cao J; Yuan X; Zhou S; Liu X; Zhao C; Geng H; Wang Z; Liu JZ; Green MA; Sun K; Hao X, 2026, 'Early-stage local chemistry regulation enabling open-circuit voltage of 847 mV in wide-bandgap Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells', Nature Energy, 11, pp. 1332 - 1340, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41560-026-02111-9
    Journal articles | 2026
    Wang Y; Zhang M; Zhang M; Liu X; Lee M; Feng Z; Yuan X; Liu Z; Yun JS; Xu J; Hao X, 2026, 'A Complementary Hole-Transport Layer of PTAA and SAM on FTO Substrate for p-i-n Structured Perovskite Solar Cells', Advanced Functional Materials, 36, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202508510
    Journal articles | 2026
    Zhou S; Liu X; Gunawan M; Shan Y; Zhang M; Lucas S; Satriyatama A; Gunawan D; Wang A; Yuan X; Sun K; Amal R; Hao X, 2026, 'Unassisted Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production Coupled with Selective Glucose Oxidation Using Metal Halide Perovskite Photoanodes', Advanced Functional Materials, 36, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202505281
    Journal articles | 2025
    He M; Zhang M; Li Z; Liu X; Sun K; Liu Z; Hao X, 2025, 'Top Cells for Silicon-Based Tandem Photovoltaics', Advanced Materials, 37, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202411858
    Journal articles | 2025
    Wu T; Zhang M; Gao X; Shen H; Liu X; Li Z; Xu J; Hao X, 2025, 'Self-Assembled Monolayers for Perovskite Solar Cells: Molecular Design and Chemical Synthesis', ACS Nano, 19, pp. 24508 - 24535, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c05601
    Journal articles | 2025
    Zandi S; Nie S; Zhu Y; Allen TG; Aydin E; Ugur E; Zheng J; Wang G; Liu X; Hao X; Ho-Baillie A; De Wolf S; Trupke T; Hameiri Z, 2025, 'Luminescence-based implied voltage imaging of tandem solar cells using bandpass filters', Small Methods, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202401003
    Journal articles | 2024
    Bailey CG; Gillan LV; Lee M; Sloane N; Liu X; Hao X; Soufiani AM; McCamey DR, 2024, 'Influence of Organic Spacer Cation on Dark Excitons in 2D Perovskites', Advanced Functional Materials, 34, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202308095
    Journal articles | 2024
    Fu Z; Hou T; Wang X; Chen K; Jiang G; Li X; Xiang L; Sun X; Yu H; Liu X; Zhang M, 2024, 'Instant p-doping and pore elimination of the spiro-OMeTAD hole-transport layer in perovskite solar cells', Chemical Communications, 60, pp. 4250 - 4253, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d4cc00111g
    Journal articles | 2024
    Hou T; Zhang M; Sun X; Wang Y; Chen K; Fu Z; He M; Liu X; Liu Z; Huang Y; Green MA; Hao X, 2024, 'Methylammonium-Free Ink for Low-Temperature Crystallization of α-FAPbI3 Perovskite', Advanced Energy Materials, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202400932
    Journal articles | 2024
    Wang Y; Zhou S; Liu X; Sun K; Lee M; Liu Z; Zhang M; Bai Y; Hameiri Z; Hao X, 2024, 'Cu2(Thiourea)Br2 complex as a multifunctional interfacial layer for reproducible PTAA‐based p‐i‐n perovskite solar cells', Solar RRL, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/solr.202300920
    Journal articles | 2023
    Liu X; Zheng B; Shi L; Zhou S; Xu J; Liu Z; Yun JS; Choi E; Zhang M; Lv Y; Zhang WH; Huang J; Li C; Sun K; Seidel J; He M; Peng J; Hao X; Green M, 2023, 'Perovskite solar cells based on spiro-OMeTAD stabilized with an alkylthiol additive', Nature Photonics, 17, pp. 96 - 105, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41566-022-01111-x
    Journal articles | 2023
    Sun X; Yang X; Wang X; Hou T; Chen H; Liu J; Fu Z; Yu W; Zhang W; Ma Z; Huang Y; Liu X; Zhang M, 2023, 'The effect of pyrrolidone-based ligands in gas-quenching fabrication of FA0.9Cs0.1PbI3 perovskite films and solar cells', Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 960, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.170670
    Journal articles | 2022
    Hou T; Zhang M; Yu W; Wang X; Gu Z; Chen Q; Lan L; Sun X; Huang Y; Zheng B; Liu X; Green MA; Hao X, 2022, 'Low-pressure accessible gas-quenching for absolute methylammonium-free perovskite solar cells', Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 10, pp. 2105 - 2112, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d1ta08402j
    Journal articles | 2022
    Wang Y; Duan L; Zhang M; Hameiri Z; Liu X; Bai Y; Hao X, 2022, 'PTAA as efficient hole transport materials in perovskite solar cells: A review', Solar RRL, 6, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/solr.202200234
    Journal articles | 2022
    Yu W; Sun X; Xiao M; Hou T; Liu X; Zheng B; Yu H; Zhang M; Huang Y; Hao X, 2022, 'Recent advances on interface engineering of perovskite solar cells', Nano Research, 15, pp. 85 - 103, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3488-7
    Journal articles | 2020
    Tian L; Wen F; Zhang W; Zhang H; Yu H; Lin P; Liu X; Zhou S; Zhou X; Jiang Y; Chen T; Ma Z; Zhang M; Huang Y, 2020, 'Rising from the Ashes: Gaseous Therapy for Robust and Large-Area Perovskite Solar Cells', ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 12, pp. 49648 - 49658, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c14746
    Journal articles | 2020
    Zeng Y; Sun K; Huang J; Nielsen MP; Ji F; Sha C; Yuan S; Zhang X; Yan C; Liu X; Deng H; Lai Y; Seidel J; Ekins-Daukes N; Liu F; Song H; Green M; Hao X, 2020, 'Quasi-Vertically-Orientated Antimony Sulfide Inorganic Thin-Film Solar Cells Achieved by Vapor Transport Deposition', ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 12, pp. 22825 - 22834, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c02697
    Journal articles | 2019
    Liu X; Shi L; Huang J; Liu Z; Zhang P; Yun JS; Soufiani AM; Seidel J; Sun K; Hameiri Z; Stride JA; Zhang Y; Green MA; Lin H; Hao X, 2019, 'Improvement of Cs-(FAPbI3)0.85(MAPbBr3)0.15 quality via DMSO-molecule-control to increase the efficiency and boost the long-term stability of 1 cm2 sized planar perovskite solar cells', Solar RRL, pp. 1800338 - 1800338, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/solr.201800338
    Journal articles | 2019
    Zhang Y; Huang J; Yan C; Sun K; Cui X; Liu F; Liu Z; Zhang X; Liu X; Stride JA; Green MA; Hao X, 2019, 'High open-circuit voltage CuSbS2 solar cells achieved through the formation of epitaxial growth of CdS/CuSbS2 hetero-interface by post-annealing treatment', Progress in Photovoltaics Research and Applications, 27, pp. 37 - 43, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.3061
    Journal articles | 2018
    Huang J; Yan C; Sun K; Liu F; Sun H; Pu A; Liu X; Green M; Hao X, 2018, 'Boosting the kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells performance by diode laser annealing', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 175, pp. 71 - 76, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2017.10.009
    Journal articles | 2018
    Liu X; Zhang Y; Shi L; Liu Z; Huang J; Yun JS; Zeng Y; Pu A; Sun K; Hameiri Z; Stride JA; Seidel J; Green MA; Hao X, 2018, 'Exploring inorganic binary alkaline halide to passivate defects in low-temperature-processed planar-structure hybrid perovskite solar cells', Advanced Energy Materials, 8, pp. 1800138 - 1800138, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201800138
    Journal articles | 2018
    Sun K; Huang J; Yan C; Pu A; Liu F; Sun H; Liu X; Fang Z; Stride JA; Green M; Hao X, 2018, 'Self-assembled nanometer-scale ZnS structure at the CZTS/ZnCdS heterointerface for high-efficiency wide band gap Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 solar cells', Chemistry of Materials, 30, pp. 4008 - 4016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.8b00009
    Journal articles | 2017
    Liu F; Huang J; Sun K; Yan C; Shen Y; Park J; Pu A; Zhou F; Liu X; Stride JA; Green MA; Hao X, 2017, 'Beyond 8% ultrathin kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells by interface reaction route controlling and self-organized nanopattern at the back contact', NPG Asia Mater, 9, pp. e401, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/am.2017.103
    Journal articles | 2017
    Liu X; Huang J; Zhou F; Liu F; Stride JA; Hao X, 2017, 'Spatial Grain Growth and Composition Evolution during Sulfurizing Metastable Wurtzite Cu2ZnSnS4 Nanocrystal-Based Coatings', Chemistry of Materials, 29, pp. 2110 - 2121, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b04603
    Journal articles | 2016
    Liu X; Huang J; Zhou F; Liu F; Sun K; Yan C; Stride JA; Hao X, 2016, 'Understanding the Key Factors of Enhancing Phase and Compositional Controllability for 6% Efficient Pure-Sulfide Cu2ZnSnS4Solar Cells Prepared from Quaternary Wurtzite Nanocrystals', Chemistry of Materials, 28, pp. 3649 - 3658, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b04620
    Journal articles | 2015
    Liu X; Zhou F; Song N; Huang J; Yan C; Liu F; Sun K; Stride JA; Hao X; Green MA, 2015, 'Exploring the application of metastable wurtzite nanocrystals in pure-sulfide Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 solar cells by forming nearly micron-sized large grains', Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 3, pp. 23185 - 23193, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c5ta05813a
    Journal articles | 2015
    Zhou F; Zeng F; Liu X; Liu F; Song N; Yan C; Pu A; Park J; Sun K; Hao X, 2015, 'Improvement of Jsc in a Cu2ZnSnS4 Solar Cell by Using a Thin Carbon Intermediate Layer at the Cu2ZnSnS4/Mo Interface', ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 7, pp. 22868 - 22873, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5b05652
    Journal articles | 2013
    Liu X; Wang C; Liu X; Ouyang L; You Z; Lu Y; Chen X, 2013, 'Understanding the Factors That Control the Formation and Morphology of Zn5(OH)8(NO3)2·2H2O through Hydrothermal Route', Journal of Nanomaterials, 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/938370
    Journal articles | 2013
    Liu X; Wang C; Xu J; Liu X; Zou R; Ouyang L; Xu X; Chen X; Xing H, 2013, 'Fabrication of ZnO/CdS/Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 p–n heterostructure nanorod arrays via a solution-based route', CrystEngComm, 15, pp. 1139 - 1145, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c2ce26829a
    Journal articles | 2013
    Xu J; Wang C; Zhang Y; Liu X; Liu X; Huang S; Chen X, 2013, 'Structural, vibrational and luminescence properties of longitudinal twinning Zn 2 GeO 4 nanowires', CrystEngComm, 15, pp. 764 - 768, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c2ce26627j
    Journal articles | 2012
    Wang HY; Wang CR; Xu J; Liu X; Xu XF; Xing HZ; Zhao LJ; Chen XS, 2012, 'Different temperature dependence of excitonic and defect-related photoluminescence spectra in ZnS nanobelts and nanowires', Journal of Physics D, 45, pp. 095301, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/45/9/095301
    Journal articles | 2009
    Zhu Y; Zuo T; Jiang L; Cai Z; Yan C; Liu X; Malcolm X; Wu Q, 2009, 'Pore structure analysis on activated carbon fibers—By cluster and watershed transform method', Applied Surface Science, 256, pp. 587 - 592, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2009.04.174
  • Patents | 2025
    Green M; Hao X; Liu Z; Liu X, 2025, Perovskite solar cell and method of making the same, Patent No. United States - 12419190;
    Other | 2024
    Hou T; Zhang M; Sun X; Wang Y; Chen K; Fu Z; He M; Liu X; Liu Z; Huang Y; Green MA; Hao X, 2024, Methylammonium‐Free Ink for Low‐Temperature Crystallization of α‐FAPbI3 Perovskite (Adv. Energy Mater. 30/2024), Wiley, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202470124
    Conference Papers | 2024
    Zandi S; Nie S; Zhu Y; Allen T; Aydin E; Ugur E; Zheng J; Wang G; Liu X; Ho-Baillie A; Hao X; De Wolf S; Trupke T; Hameiri Z, 2024, 'Implied voltage of sub cells in tandem devices from luminescence images – The beauty of using a narrow bandpass filter', Vienna, Austria, presented at 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria, 23 September 2024
    Preprints | 2023
    Bailey CG; Gillan LV; Lee M; Sloane N; Liu X; Soufiani AM; Hao X; McCamey DR, 2023, Influence of Organic Spacer Cation on Dark Excitons in 2D Perovskites, http://dx.doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2305.13674