Proton Radiation Hardness of Perovskite Tandem Photovoltaics

Felix Lang,Bernd Rech,Elizabeth M Tennyson,Christian A Kaufmann,Kyle Frohna,Bernd Stannowski,Steve Albrecht,Eike Köhnen,Jörg Rappich,Giovanni Landi,Alan R Bowman,Tobias Bertram,Dibyashree Koushik,Samuel D Stranks,Anna Belen Morales-Vilches,N H Nickel ,J Bundesmann ,A Denker ,Amran Al‐Ashouri ,Krzysztof Gałkowski ,M Creatore ,H C Neitzert ,Matthias Jost

doi:10.1016/j.joule.2020.03.006

Abstract

SummaryMonolithic [Cs0.05(MA0.17FA0.83)0.95]Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (perovskite/CIGS) tandem solar cells promise high performance and can be processed on flexible substrates, enabling cost-efficient and ultra-lightweight space photovoltaics with power-to-weight and power-to-cost ratios surpassing those of state-of-the-art III-V semiconductor-based multijunctions. However, to become a viable space technology, the full tandem stack must withstand the harsh radiation environments in space. Here, we design tailored operando and ex situ measurements to show that perovskite/CIGS cells retain over 85% of their initial efficiency even after 68 MeV proton irradiation at a dose of 2 × 1012 p+/cm2. We use photoluminescence microscopy to show that the local quasi-Fermi-level splitting of the perovskite top cell is unaffected. We identify that the efficiency losses arise primarily from increased recombination in the CIGS bottom cell and the nickel-oxide-based recombination contact. These results are corroborated by measurements of monolithic perovskite/silicon-heterojunction cells, which severely degrade to 1% of their initial efficiency due to radiation-induced recombination centers in silicon.

Highlights

Multijunction solar cells that combine complementary absorber materials to selectively harvest the available solar spectrum with minimal thermalization losses power modern energy demanding satellites, spacecraft, and exploration rovers.[1]
We find that perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells are unsuitable for space, whereas perovskite/CIGS tandems are radiation-hard, promising cheap, flexible, and ultra-lightweight space photovoltaics
Our results show that perovskite/silicon heterojunction (SHJ) tandem solar cells degrade severely to 1% of their initial efficiency while perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells retain over 85% of their initial efficiency under AM0 solar illumination even after 68 MeV proton irradiation at a dose of 2 3 1012 p+/cm[2]

Summary

Introduction

Multijunction solar cells that combine complementary absorber materials to selectively harvest the available solar spectrum with minimal thermalization losses power modern energy demanding satellites, spacecraft, and exploration rovers.[1] While terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) systems require high-power-area (W/m2) ratios, space. PV systems require high specific power (W/g) to minimize the stowed volume, weight, inertia, and atmospheric drag of the spacecraft.[2] In addition, the cost of space PV modules ($/W) is becoming increasingly important given the growing demand for smaller, cheaper satellites[3] and the emerging privatization of space exploration,[4] both of which are revolutionizing space economics. Slow epitaxial absorber growth and high material costs render such III-V-based multijunction solar cells expensive and their mass production challenging.[7] Less expensive space-tested single-junction technologies based on crystalline silicon (c-Si),[8,9] Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS),[10]

Results

Discussion

Conclusion