Compositional Microstructuring To Harden Hybrid Metal Halide Perovskites Against Cation Migration

Tech ID: 20-063

Inventors: Masaru Kuno, Michael Brennan, Anthony Ruth, Ilia Pavlovetc, Jeffrey Christians, Taylor Moot, Joey LutherMasaru Kuno, Michael Brennan, Anthony Ruth, Ilia Pavlovetc, Jeffrey Christians, Taylor Moot, Joey Luther

Date Added: July 20, 2020

Overview

A materials design strategy that prevents cation migration.

Technology Summary

Currently, standard solar cells are based on crystalline silicon, which is energy intensive to manufacture, heavy, and difficulty to implement in non-traditional settings (e.g. flexible structures). Metal halide perovskites have shown promise as low-cost, lightweight, and flexible light-harvesters to replace silicon in solar cells. Perovskites have also been implemented in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells with enhanced power output relative to existing silicon technologies. However, perovskite stability continues to be an unresolved issue that shortens solar cell lifetimes and prevents large-scale commercialization. Both intrinsic (e.g. ion migration) and extrinsic (e.g. moisture) factors can degrade perovskite active layers in working solar cells. While many encapsulation/sealing technologies have been developed to address moisture durability, ion migration under solar cell operating conditions remains to be resolved.

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame along with collaborators at the National Renewable Energy Research Lab have outlined a materials design strategy to ruggedize metal halide perovskites against intrinsic cation migration. This strategy employs a mixture of perovskite and non-perovskite crystalline phases to form triple-cation hybrid perovskite thin films through which cations cannot easily migrate. Using this compositional microstructuring approach, hybrid perovskite active layers have demonstrated suppressed cation migration relative to their pure, perovskite phase counterparts. This has been experimentally established via infrared photothermal heterodyne imagine, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, photoluminescence, and operational stability testing of both solar cells and lateral devices based on these mixed phase materials. Compositional microstructuring of perovskite and non-perovskite phases thus represents a new approach for reducing ion migration-related perovskite degradation in solar cells.

Market Advantages

  • Extended solar cell lifetime
  • Reduced manufacturing costs and time
  • Higher power conversion efficiencies

Applications

  • High efficiency photovoltaics
  • Light-emitting and color conversion applications

Technology Readiness Level

TRL 3 – Experimental Proof of Concept

Intellectual Property Status

Patent Pending

Publications

What Defines a Halide Perovskite? doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00039

Contact

Richard Cox

rcox4@nd.edu

574.631.5158