Project Details
Projekt
Perovskite solar cells with graphite electrodes: Advanced interfaces for highest performance and stability (PeroGAIN)
Subject Area
Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
Term
since 2022
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 506701742
In the PeroGAIN project, interfaces and associated loss mechanisms in perovskite solar cells (PSC) based on carbon-graphite electrodes will be assessed. This type of PSC has already shown superior device stability in comparison to metal-electrode based devices and features the prospect of producing fully printed PV modules at ambient conditions, enabling lowest production cost and CO2 footprint. Highest stabilities of carbon-based devices have been reached with carbon pastes which require sintering at high temperatures (HT), limiting the flexibility with regards to processing and device architecture. Employing low temperature carbon (LT-C) pastes, higher power conversion efficiency values could be reached. However, there is still a significant efficiency gap of these devices when compared to metal-electrode PSC, and similarly high stability values as for the related HT-C devices have not been achieved. At the same time, only a limited number of studies focusing on the stability of LT-C PSC has been performed until now.PeroGAIN aims to deepen the understanding of the interfaces in LT-C PSC with respect to both performance loss as well as degradation mechanisms by advanced characterization and modelling, identifying key factors that hinder device efficiency and stability. To this end, individual functional layers, layer combinations and full device stacks will be analysed with respect to their physical properties and interface formation between perovskite, carbon electrode and adjacent contact layers. Furthermore, the stability of LT-C PSC will be assessed in relevant accelerated aging tests and outdoor operation. Advanced optoelectronic device characterization combined with numerical device simulations for reproduction of experimental behavior will lead to an increased understanding of underlying physics at the multiple interfaces in complete solar cell stacks and elucidate the impact of non-ideal contact formation at the absorber/carbon interface.From the gained knowledge, strategies to unlock the full potential of LT-C PSC will be derived. This will allow interface modification by passivation, doping or introduction of additional charge selective layers and assessment of its effect on device efficiency and stability. By this, aforementioned losses will be mitigated and result in stable devices with efficiencies closing the gap to metal-electrode based PSC.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
International Connection
United Kingdom
Co-Investigator
Dr. Markus Kohlstädt
