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Perovskite triple and quadruple junction solar cells

Project description

Multi-layered perovskites promise higher solar cell efficiency

Metal halide perovskite solar cells are a promising renewable energy solution, recording efficiencies up to 30 % in tandem designs. The ERC-funded PERSTACK project aims to develop triple and quadruple junction perovskite solar cells with efficiencies of 35 % to 40 % using cost-effective materials and technologies. Achieving this goal will involve designing new materials with tailored optical properties, minimising energy losses and pushing forward every step of the energy conversion process. Advanced spectroscopic techniques will identify defects that limit performance, while innovative architectures will stack multiple sub-cells to maximise efficiency. If successful, PERSTACK could help propel solar energy by delivering highly efficient, affordable and scalable solutions.

Objective

Metal halide perovskite solar cells have advanced from an intriguing scientific discovery into a viable option for future renewable energy. Record single and tandem junction perovskite solar cells already provide power efficiencies close to 26% and 30%, respectively. The aim of this project is to achieve the next target in photovoltaic energy conversion by developing perovskite triple and quadruple junction solar cells towards efficiencies of 35% to 40% using cheap solution-processable materials and affordable technologies. This is a tremendous challenge that has not been attempted. It involves designing and making new materials and device architectures that push every single step in the conversion process close to its intrinsic limits, and eliminate any electrical and optical losses close to perfection.

The project will focus on solving important hurdles to reach this ambitious goal. New perovskites will be designed by compositional engineering to create thin-film materials with optical bandgaps in the range of 1.2 to 2.3 eV. Unique spectroscopic techniques will identify the nature and location of the defects, either in the bulk or at interfaces with the charge-selective contacts, that give rise to nonradiative recombination of electrons and holes and that thereby contribute a loss of open-circuit voltage, limiting the performance. By adapting deposition conditions, using passivation strategies, and synthesizing new materials for the selective collection of electrons and holes these losses are minimized to provide optimized sub-cells in the required bandgap regions. Guided by optical modeling, monolithic triple and quadruple junction solar cells will be fabricated by stacking three or four different bandgap perovskite sub-cells in series using recombination junctions designed to provide near-zero electrical and optical losses.

This challenging but promising effort can result in solar cells that provide power conversion efficiencies between 35% and 40%.

Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2022-ADG

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Host institution

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 999 926,00
Address
GROENE LOPER 3
5612 AE Eindhoven
Netherlands

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Region
Zuid-Nederland Noord-Brabant Zuidoost-Noord-Brabant
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 999 926,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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