Solid-state solar modules based on mesoscopic organometal halide perovskite: a route towards the up-scaling process

Abstract

We fabricated the first solid state modules based on organometal halide perovskite CH3NH3PbI3-xClx using Spiro-OMeTAD and poly(3-hexylthiophene) as hole transport materials. Device up-scaling was performed using innovative procedures to realize large-area cells and the integrated series-interconnections. The perovskite-based modules show a maximum conversion efficiency of 5.1% using both poly(3-hexylthiophene) and Spiro-OMeTAD. A long-term stability test was performed (in air, under AM1.5G, 1 Sun illumination conditions) using both materials showing different behaviour under continuous light stress. Whilst the poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based module efficiency drops by about 80% with respect to the initial value after 170 hours, the Spiro-based module shows a promising long-term stability maintaining more than 60% of its initial efficiency after 335 hours.

Research Update: Large-area deposition, coating, printing, and processing techniques for the upscaling of perovskite solar cell technology

“…55 At the moment one of the best efficiencies for a perovskite based module is 13.6% over aperture area. 20 In this work the P1-P2-P3 patterning procedures played an important role, improving the aperture ratio up to 91%.…”

“…The first paper in the literature reporting perovskite modules and how their efficiency varied with dimension (see Figure 1(a)) was indeed based on spin coating of the main active layers, achieving a PCE of 5.1% over module active area. 20 The modules were obtained by the series connection of 5 sub-cells (Figure 1(b)). Also using a spin coated perovskite layer, Qiu et al 21 realized a module with four series-connected cells with a PCE of 13.6% over an aperture area of 4 cm 2 .…”

Laser-Patterning Engineering for Perovskite Solar Modules With 95% Aperture Ratio

“…[19,20] Following the successful development of PSCs, large area perovskite solar modules (PSMs) have also been designed, fabricated and characterized by several groups. [21][22][23][24][25] The fabrication of perovskite modules needs additional materials and engineering efforts with respect to the small area cells, in particular, the laser patterning required to properly interconnect adjacent cells. [23,26] The structure of a typical monolithically connected n-i-p perovskite solar module is shown in Fig.…”

“…A laser patterning was applied to the first PSM in early 2014 showing a PCE of 5.1% on an AA of 16.8 cm 2 , and an AR of 67%. [21] A Nd:YVO4 raster scanning laser (λ = 1064 nm) was used to pattern the FTO, realizing the P1 patterning step, while a lift-off technique was applied to remove the compact TiO2 (cTiO2) ETM on the interconnection areas. After the deposition of patterned mesoporous TiO2 (mp-TiO2) layers applying screen-printing, a CH3NH3PbI3-xClx perovskite layer was deposited, followed by a doped poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) HTM layer.…”

Pinhole-free perovskite films for efficient solar modules

“…[19][20][21][22][23][24] However, there is a lack of data on the tracking of the maximum power output for perovskite solar modules, which has proven to be essential, considering the hysteresis of perovskite solar cells. 25 Moreover, there are still limited reports of perovskite solar modules with high aperture area PCEs due to the reported low geometrical fill factors (the ratio of the active area to the aperture http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/22663/1/c5ee03703d 3/12 area).…”