High-Performance Solar Cells: Physicists From Halle Grow Stable Perovskite Layers
November 6, 2018 | Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Perovskites are currently receiving a great deal of attention in the solar industry. In 2009, researchers were first able to prove that organic-inorganic compounds with a special perovskite crystal structure are good absorbers that can effectively convert sunlight into electricity. Within just a few years, the efficiency of perovskite solar cells was increased to well over 20% in the laboratory. "Although modern, monocrystalline silicon solar cells achieve slightly better values, they are much harder to manufacture and they have been under development for a much longer time," says Dr Paul Pistor, a physicist at MLU and lead author of the study. Currently, however, there are no market-ready perovskite-based solar cells as there is no established process for the large-scale production of perovskites. In addition, the thin crystal layers are rather unstable and sensitive to environmental influences. "High temperatures or humidity cause the perovskites to decompose and lose their ability to convert sunlight into electricity," says Pistor. Yet, solar cells have to withstand elevated temperatures because they are permanently exposed to the sun.
In their study, the physicists from Halle investigated a special, inorganic perovskite consisting of caesium, lead and bromine or iodine. Instead of using the usual wet-chemical processes to produce the perovskites, they deployed a process that is already widely used in industry to produce thin layers and a range of components. In a vacuum chamber, precursor materials are heated up until they evaporate. Then, the perovskite condenses on a colder glass substrate and a thin crystalline layer grows. "The advantage of this method is that every part of the process can be very well controlled. This way, the layers grow very homogenous and the thickness and composition of the crystals can be easily adjusted," explains Pistor. His team was thus able to produce perovskite layers based on caesium that didn’t decompose until they reached temperatures of 360 degrees Celsius. Using cutting-edge X-ray analysis, the researchers also analysed the growth and decay processes of the crystals in real time.
The results provide important insights into the underlying properties of perovskites and point to a process that may be suitable for the industrial realisation of modern perovskite-based solar cell technology.
Suggested Items
Elementary, Mr. Watson: Ensuring Design Integrity
03/28/2024 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonBack in February, many of us watched the "Big Game." It reminded me of the saying, “It's not how you start that is important, but rather how you finish." It is perfectly okay when you are talking about sports, you get off to a bad first half and need to recover in the second half. However, when it comes to PCB design, this is not a good practice. If things start badly, they usually don't recover. They continue down that same path, costing more money and losing design time.
ASMC 2024 to Showcase AI, Smart Manufacturing and Sustainability to Advance Chip Industry Manufacturing Expertise
03/27/2024 | SEMIMore than 125 experts will offer insights into the latest semiconductor manufacturing strategies and methodologies as hundreds of industry stakeholders gather at the 35th annual SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference (ASMC 2024), May 13-16 in Albany, New York.
Mycronic to Showcase More Versatile, High-productivity Assembly Solutions at IPC APEX EXPO 2024
03/27/2024 | MycronicMycronic, the leading Sweden-based electronics assembly solutions provider, will continue to respond to growing customer demand for high-flexibility, high-productivity solutions for zero-defect PCB assembly at IPC APEX EXPO 2024 in Anaheim, CA on April 9 - 11.
IPC APEX EXPO 2024: LPKF—Debunking Depaneling Industry Perceptions
03/27/2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007In this audio interview, listen to Jake Benz discuss advances in laser depaneling at LPKF. Thanks to advances in laser technology, perceptions about laser depaneling are changing from a low-speed, specialized process to a high volume process suitable for production manufacturing. Benz elaborates on some of the development and engineering that went into creating their latest, most capable depaneling machines.
The Many Complexities of PFAS
03/26/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIn its simplest definition, PFAS is a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Fluoropolymer coatings can be in a variety of products. Though this definition is not inaccurate, it can be misleading. Depending on who you ask, there are upward of 10,000 PFAS chemistries that can meet various definitions.