Researchers have unlocked a brand new technique of passivating perovskite-silicon tandem photo voltaic cells, reaching report efficiencies and laying the groundwork for extra highly effective photo voltaic expertise.
A gaggle of worldwide photovoltaics researchers has made an essential advance towards bringing perovskite silicon tandem photo voltaic cells nearer to large-scale industrial use. The workforce confirmed that the perovskite high cell may be efficiently passivated when paired with textured silicon backside cells which have massive pyramidal constructions, the usual design utilized in right now’s photo voltaic business.
Their work additionally revealed that passivation influences your complete perovskite layer, in contrast to silicon cells, the place floor therapies solely affect the uppermost layers. This distinction results in further effectivity positive aspects. Scientists from King Abdullah College of Science and Know-how (KAUST), the College of Freiburg, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Vitality Techniques ISE detailed their technological and scientific progress in growing passivated perovskite high cells.
Perovskite silicon tandem photo voltaic cells mix a perovskite high cell with a silicon backside cell. This pairing represents the following main step ahead in photovoltaic expertise, notably as silicon-based photo voltaic cells close to their theoretical effectivity ceiling of 29.4 % for sunlight-to-electricity conversion.
For big-scale manufacturing of those tandem photo voltaic cells, utilizing a typical silicon photo voltaic cell for the underside cell could be advantageous, as their manufacturing processes are already properly established. These photo voltaic cells are textured to extend their floor space, enhancing effectivity, however this texturization additionally complicates the deposition of the perovskite layer. Reaching high-quality floor passivation of the perovskite high cell on the pyramid-like floor had not but been completed.
The Key Innovation
“To date, efficient passivation has not been absolutely harnessed on textured perovskite silicon tandem photo voltaic cells, with prior success largely confined to flat-front architectures. However we’ve now managed glorious passivation by depositing 1,3-diaminopropane dihydroiodide on the uneven perovskite floor,” stated Dr. Oussama Er-Raji, the lead creator of the paper and a scientist at Fraunhofer ISE. The passivated tandem photo voltaic cells achieved a conversion effectivity of as much as 33.1 %, with an open-circuit voltage of two.01 volts.
The scientists additionally noticed that the passivation of the perovskite high cell improved the conductivity and thus the fill issue of the cell. They proved that this enchancment is because of a deep subject impact ensuing from the passivation. In silicon photo voltaic cells, the passivation acts solely near the floor, whereas in perovskite photo voltaic cells, the floor therapy impacts your complete absorber, enhancing its bulk properties.
A Basis for Future Analysis
“This realization offers a stable basis for all future analysis on this space,” stated Prof. Stefaan De Wolf, Professor of Supplies Science and Engineering and Utilized Physics at KAUST. “It enhances our understanding of the processes occurring within the high cell whereas changing gentle into electrical energy, enabling scientists to leverage this data to develop higher tandem photo voltaic cells.”
“Floor passivation of photo voltaic cells is not only a nice-to-have function; it’s a necessary booster for his or her effectivity and stability,” provides Prof. Stefan Glunz, Professor of Photovoltaic Vitality Conversion on the College of Freiburg and Director of the Photovoltaics Division at Fraunhofer ISE. “For right now’s silicon photo voltaic cells, floor passivation was the important thing for top efficiencies in industrial manufacturing, and it’s encouraging that the photovoltaic business will profit from these constructive results for perovskite silicon tandem photo voltaic cells as properly.”
Reference: “Electron accumulation throughout the perovskite layer enhances tandem photo voltaic cells with textured silicon” by Oussama Er-raji, Christoph Messmer, Rakesh R. Pradhan, Oliver Fischer, Vladyslav Hnapovskyi, Sofiia Kosar, Marco Marengo, Mathias Record, Jared Faisst, José P. Jurado, Oleksandr Matiash, Hannu P. Pasanen, Adi Prasetio, Badri Vishal, Shynggys Zhumagali, Anil R. Pininti, Yashika Gupta, Clemens Baretzky, Esma Ugur, Christopher E. Petoukhoff, Martin Bivour, Erkan Aydin, Randi Azmi, Jonas Schön, Florian Schindler, Martin C. Schubert, Udo Schwingenschlögl, Frédéric Laquai, Ahmed A. Stated, Juliane Borchert, Patricia S. C. Schulze, Stefaan De Wolf and Stefan W. Glunz, 4 September 2025, Science.
DOI: 10.1126/science.adx1745
The researchers’ findings construct on work within the Fraunhofer lighthouse undertaking MaNiTU in addition to the initiatives PrEsto and Perle, each funded by the Federal Ministry for Financial Affairs and Vitality.
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