Solution-Processed Inorganic Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices (SolPV)

清洁增长战略是英国工业战略的核心要素，旨在实现高科技、充满活力的低碳经济。英国有两个具有法律约束力的中期目标，需要采取紧急的激烈行动：(i)到2032年，清洁、智能和灵活的电力提供80%的发电量；（ii）到2050年，在经济的各个方面实现“净零”碳排放。在每个部门有效整合可再生能源至关重要，太阳能在这一转变中发挥核心作用。太阳能转化为电能的一个关键扩展领域，即光伏（PV），是高度城市化环境中建筑和基础设施的整合。例如，仅在美国，建筑一体化光伏产业的规模就已超过20亿美元。虽然成熟的硅技术将继续主导公用事业规模的发电，但系统集成光伏需要基于薄膜半导体材料的技术，这种技术可以沉积在各种衬底上。SolPV将研究基于两种领先的无机薄膜技术，Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 （CIGS）和Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTS)，基于可扩展的解决方案工艺制造光伏器件的科学。SolPV的目标是通过可扩展的制造路线和无cd架构，将解决方案处理的CIGS和CZTS器件的性能提高到15%以上的功率转换效率。传统的CIGS和CZTS器件结构（通常称为“衬底”）由钠石灰玻璃/Mo/吸收剂/CdS/i-ZnO/Al:ZnO组成。SolPV策略包括：1-优化吸收剂前体配方，以实现可扩展的制造方法，如槽染料和条形涂层；2-设计热处理策略，以实现吸收剂的结晶和组成控制；3-吸收层和缓冲层之间的界面工程，包括替换基于cd的化合物。工作计划分为两个阶段：第一阶段——目标是高效标准基板架构，第二阶段——重点是高效无cd架构的接口工程。我们将结合溶液处理方法与尖端的制造工具，如原子层沉积，以实现半导体结组成的精确控制。此外，我们将评估将这些先进制造方法转移到其他支持（如复合材料）的能力。为了实现雄心勃勃的SolPV目标，CIGS和CZTS研究的三个领先中心正在与工艺创新弹射中心合作，以确保创新不仅由设备驱动，而且由可扩展的制造驱动。该联盟还包括支持工作方案关键领域的工业伙伴。

The Clean Growth Strategy, a core element of the UK Industrial Strategy, aims at delivering a high-tech vibrant low-carbon economy. The UK has two legally binding targets in the medium term which requires urgent drastic action,: (i) clean, smart and flexible power to deliver 80% of electricity generation by 2032 and (ii) 'net-zero' carbon emission by 2050 in every aspect of the economy. The effective integration of renewable energy sources in every sector is crucial, with solar energy playing a central role in this transformation.A key area of expansion in the field of solar conversion to electrical energy, known as photovoltaic (PV), is the integration in building and infrastructure in highly urbanised environments. For instance, the size of the building-integrated PV industry is reaching over $2Bn in the US alone. While mature Si technologies will continue to dominate utility-scale electricity generation, system-integrated PV requires technologies based on thin-film semiconductor materials which can be deposited onto a variety of substrates. SolPV will investigate the science of manufacturing PV devices based on the two leading inorganic thin-film technologies, Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGS) and Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTS), based on scalable solution processes.SolPV aims at taking the performance of solution-processed CIGS and CZTS devices to power conversion efficiencies above 15% using scalable manufacturing routes and Cd-free architectures. Conventional CIGS and CZTS device architecture (commonly referred to as 'substrate') consists of soda-lime glass/Mo/absorber/CdS/i-ZnO/Al:ZnO. The SolPV strategy involves:1- optimisation of the absorber precursor formulation to implement scalable manufacturing methods such as slot-dye and bar-coating, 2- design thermal processing strategies to achieve control crystallisation and composition of the absorber3- interfacial engineering of the junction between the absorber layer and buffer layer, including replacement of Cd-based compounds.The work programme is divided into two phases: Phase I - targeting high-efficiency standard substrate architectures, and Phase II - focused on Interface engineering for high-efficiency Cd-free architectures. We will combine solution-processing approaches with cutting-edge manufacturing tools such as atomic layer deposition to achieve accurate control of the semiconductor junction composition. Furthermore, we will assess the capacity of transferring these advanced manufacturing approaches to other supports such as composite materials.To achieve the ambitious SolPV targets, three leading centres in CIGS and CZTS research are partnering with the Centre for Process Innovation Catapult to ensure that innovation is not only driven by device but also by scalable manufacturing. The consortium also includes industrial partners supporting critical areas of the work programme.