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，需要紧急采取重大行动：（i）到2032年，清洁，智能和灵活的电力将提供80%的发电量，以及（ii）到2050年，经济的各个方面都实现“净零”碳排放。可再生能源在各个领域的有效整合至关重要，太阳能在这一转变中发挥着核心作用。太阳能转换为电能（即光伏（PV））领域的一个关键扩展领域是高度城市化环境中的建筑和基础设施整合。例如，仅在美国，建筑集成光伏行业的规模就超过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，这些材料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Cu 2 ZnSn（S，Se）4（CZTS）的光伏器件的制造科学，这些技术基于可扩展的溶液工艺。SolPV的目标是利用可扩展的制造路线和无镉架构，将溶液处理的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器件架构（通常称为“衬底”）由钠钙玻璃/Mo/吸收剂/CdS/i-ZnO/Al：ZnO组成。SolPV战略包括：1-优化吸收剂前体配方，以实施可扩展的制造方法，如狭缝染料和棒涂，2-设计热处理策略，以实现控制结晶和复合材料的组成3-吸收剂层和缓冲层之间的界面工程，包括更换镉基化合物。工作计划分为两个阶段：第一阶段-针对高效标准基板架构，第二阶段-专注于高效无镉架构的界面工程。我们将联合收割机解决方案与原子层沉积等尖端制造工具相结合，以实现半导体结成分的精确控制。为了实现SolPV的宏伟目标，CIGS和CZTS的三个领先研究中心正在与工艺创新弹射器中心合作，以确保创新不仅由设备驱动，而且由可扩展的制造驱动。该联合体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.