EAGER: TDM solar cells: Towards Low Cost Manufacturing of 30% Monolithic Perovskite/CuInSe2 Tandems with Solution Processing and Novel Carbon Nanotube Tunnel Junctions

非技术描述由于过去5-10年科学和工程的进步，太阳能电池板已经成为为家庭、工业和交通发电的一种经济上可行的手段。事实上，太阳能电池提供清洁电力的成本在短短6年内就减少了一半，因此，该行业的就业人数飙升。该项目专注于通过新的设计和制造技术开发下一代太阳能电池技术，在提高整体性能的同时进一步降低成本。由于太阳能电池板技术尚未成熟，如果最近发现的工程和科学障碍能够克服，那么可能为社会带来巨大的好处。一个关键的目标是实施新的材料、制造工艺和表征工具，以提高入射太阳光转化为电能的比例。目前的商用太阳能电池板设计在器件中使用单一的吸收半导体层，理论上只允许将太阳光中的电能转化为电能的~30%。到目前为止，这一最高限额的大约三分之二已经达到。下一代概念包括在所谓的“串联”器件结构中使用两个吸收半导体层，这将允许理论上最大~45%的入射太阳光转换为电能。尽管已经用高成本材料制造了高效率的电池，用于空间电力，但这些电池的成本对于大规模的地面使用来说太高了。该项目将使用一种新的战略，使不同的半导体材料能够共同工作，并促进由此产生的高效率串联太阳能电池的低成本生产技术。重要的是，我们将使用的方法确保开发的设备将服从于大批量生产。该项目整合了学生的教育机会以及与利益相关者的外联工作，旨在增加我们的科学和工程劳动力的多样性，并扩大该项目的影响。在该项目中，将开发一种新的通用方法，用于从不同的材料制造单片芯片，基于新的解决方案可加工的单壁碳纳米管隧道结的能力。这种方法将为释放地面使用的高效率、低成本单片集成串联太阳能电池的大规模生产潜力创造途径。总体研究计划预计将导致PCE为30%。该研究计划利用真空共蒸发生产的现有高效CuIn1-xGaxSe2(CIGS)器件，以及通过溶液处理生产基于CH3NH3PbI3的高效CIGS和钙钛矿型器件的能力，朝着可在一个连续的低成本制造工艺中制造的全溶液处理的单片集成串联迈进。作为研究的一个组成部分，将通过椭圆偏振光谱和激光诱导的电压和电流响应测量进行分析，这将指导合成工作。这些工具将实现深入的模拟，以了解串联电池的性能，并将加快调整带隙比和层厚度，以确保电池之间的最佳收集和电流匹配。

AbstractThe nontechnical description As a result of progress in science and engineering over the past 5-10 years, solar panels have become an economically viable means for generating electricity for homes, industries, and transportation. In fact, the cost of providing clean power from solar cells has been cut in half in only 6 years, and consequently, the number of jobs in the industry has skyrocketed. This project focuses on developing next generation solar cell technologies through new designs and manufacturing techniques that will reduce costs further while increasing overall performance. Since solar panel technology has yet to reach maturity, tremendous benefits for society are possible if recently identified engineering and science hurdles can be overcome. A key goal is to implement new materials, manufacturing processes, and characterization tools to enhance the fraction of incident sunlight that is converted to electrical power. Current commercial solar panel designs use a single absorbing semiconductor layer in the device that allows a theoretical maximum of only ~30% conversion of the power in sunlight to electricity. To date, approximately two-thirds of this maximum has been reached. Next generation concepts involve the use of two absorbing semiconducting layers in the so-called "tandem" device structure which will allow a theoretical maximum of ~45% conversion of the incident sunlight to electrical power. Although high efficiency tandems have been fabricated from high cost materials for use in space power, the cost of these cells is too high for large-scale terrestrial use. This project will use a novel strategy that enables dissimilar semiconductor materials to work together and promotes low-cost production technologies of the resulting high efficiency tandem solar cells. Importantly, the approach we will use ensures that the developed devices will be amenable to high-volume manufacturing. The project integrates educational opportunities for students as well as outreach efforts to stakeholders, both designed to increase diversity in our science and engineering workforce and to broaden the impact of this project.The technical descriptionIn this project a new general approach will be developed for fabricating monolithic tandems from dissimilar materials, based on the capabilities of novel solution processable single-wall carbon nanotube tunnel junctions. This approach will create avenues for unlocking the mass production potential of high efficiency, low cost monolithically integrated tandem solar cells for terrestrial use. The general research plan is expected to lead to tandems with a PCE 30%. The research program leverages existing high efficiency CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGS) devices produced by vacuum co-evaporation and capabilities for producing high efficiency CIGS and perovskite devices based on CH3NH3PbI3 by solution processing in a move toward an all-solution processed monolithically integrated tandem that can be fabricated in one continuous, low-cost manufacturing process. As an integral part of the research, analysis will be performed via spectroscopic ellipsometry and laser beam-induced voltage and current response measurements that will guide the synthesis work. These tools will enable in-depth simulations for understanding of tandem cell performance and will expedite adjustment of the band-gap ratios and layer thicknesses to insure optimal collection and current matching between cells.