Project Name: Accelerated Scaling to Rapid Open-Air Fabrication of Durable Perovskite Solar Modules
Funding Opportunity: Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2018 Funding Program (SETO FY2018)
SETO Research Area: Photovoltaics
Location: Stanford, CA
SETO Award Amount: $1,500,000
Awardee Cost Share: $375,000
Principal Investigator: Reinhold Dauskardt
-- Award and cost share amounts are subject to change pending negotiations --
Perovskite solar cells are low-cost and highly efficient but not very durable or stable. Improving the manufacturing process and design of the module is critical to bringing these cells to market. This study will examine the use of a large-area spray plasma method to improve the manufacturing of perovskite solar cell modules.
APPROACH
This team will make perovskite cells 100cm2 in size using a rapid spray plasma method to deposit the three layers, the hole transport layer, the electron transport layer and the absorber layer of the perovskite cell. The team will evaluate the properties of the perovskite cell layers, such as charge transport and mechanical reliability, and characterize them relative to their mechanical, optical and electronic properties. The team will measure photoluminescence, current-voltage, device efficiency, mechanical failure mode, and performance in dry and damp heat. Then they will deposit inorganic layers on the perovskite layers to increase stability against environmental effects. The team will perform reliability tests to assess lifetime performance.
INNOVATION
The project team will use a spray to deposit perovskite layers and inorganic protective layers over a large area to see whether this technique can be used in large-scale manufacturing of perovskite solar cells. Results from this project will contribute to a body of knowledge surrounding perovskite cell fabrication processes and module design for enhanced cell stability, efficiency, and performance.