LMPV symposium

Symposium on Light Management in Photovoltaics
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 | 9:30-12:00 | Online Meeting

 

LMPV Symposium 2021

At this symposium on June 22 we discuss the latest developments in light management for solar cells and related topics. The program consists of four talks by international keynote speakers, and covers investigations of methods and materials to ultimately go beyond the efficiency of conventional solar cells. This symposium is intended for everyone in solar cell research and provides a broad overview of the most exciting directions in photovoltaic light management.

Registration for the workshop is free of charge and is closed now. Once registered, you will receive a Zoom link a few days before the workshop. We look forward to welcoming you online on June 22.

Click here for more info on our LMPV research.

Keynote speakers



Christoph Brabec

Exploring Complex MicrostructureRelations in Functional Materials by Basic Optical Methods

Evaluating the potential of novel photovoltaicmaterials and devices for industrial viability is a multi-dimensional large parameter space exploration. High-end experimentation with costly methods like advanced X-Ray or electron beam spectroscopy is the established gold standard to learn microstructure –property relations, but is as well extremely limited in accessibilityand throughput. Automated platformsfor fabricatingand characterizingcomplete functional devices can accelerate such investigationswithintight processingparameter variations. These types of automated experiments are dominantly compatibleto non-contact optical methods. However, for novel materials, the correlation between the microstructure and the optical properties is typically not established. In this talk I will propose the concept of optical proxy experiments in combination with physical-model based machine learning as a powerful concept to get insight into microstructure induced functional properties.

1 Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergMartensstrasse 7, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

2 Helmholtz-Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg (HI ERN), Forschungszentrum Jülich , Immerwahrstrasse 2a, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

3 Zernike Institute, University ofGroningen, Groningen, Netherlands

Giulia Grancini

Understanding and Optimizing Interface Energetics and Processes: an essential step towards efficient and stable perovskite solar cells

Engineering interfaces in perovskite solar cells is nowadays paramount in the optimization of multilayer perovskite device stack. This stem true for multi-dimensional (2D/3D) perovskite based solar cells, where high efficiency can be combined with promising device durability. However, the exact function of the 2D/3D interface in controlling the device behaviour and the interface physics therein are still vague.
Here I will discuss the 2D/3D functions which can simultaneously act as surface passivant, electron blocking layer, and driving efficient and selective charge extraction. In particular, I will demonstrate that the exact knowledge on the interface energetics is crucial to obtain for a smart interface engineering. As an example, I will discuss the case of thiophene-based 2D perovskite/ 3D perovskite interfaces forming a p-n junction. This leads to a reduction of the electron density at the hole transport layer interface and ultimately suppress the interfacial recombination. As a consequence, we demonstrate that photovoltaic devices with enhanced fill factor (FF) and open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.19V which approaches the potential internal Quasi-Fermi Level Splitting (QFLS) voltage of the perovskite absorber, nullifying the interfacial losses. We thus identify the essential parameters and energetic alignment scenario required for 2D/3D perovskite systems in order to surpass the current limitations of hybrid perovskite solar cell performances. This knowledge turns fundamental for device design, opening a new avenue for perovskite interface optimization.

[1] A. Sutanto, P. Caprioglio, N. Drigo, Y. J. Hofstetter, I. Garcia-Benito, V. I. E. Queloz, D. Neher, M. K. Nazeeruddin, M. Stolterfoht, Y. Vaynzof, G. Grancini “2D/3D Perovskite Engineering Eliminates Interfacial Recombination Losses in Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells”, Chem DOI:10.1016/j.chempr.2021.04.002 (2021)

I acknowledge the HY-NANO project that has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant 2018 under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 802862).

1 Dipartimento di Chimica e INSTM, Università di Pavia, Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy

Stéphane Collin

Ultrathin solar cells

Thickness reduction can be a key element in the quest for cheaper and more efficient solar cells. Making solar cells at least 10 times thinner than commercial ones would save material, reduce manufacturing costs, and enable new applications due to their greater flexibility. In this talk, I will give an overview of the state-of-the-art of ultrathin solar cells and compare their performance to light-trapping models. I will highlight the very high potential of ultrathin solar cells, the challenges to overcome to get closer to the theoretical limits, and the most promising research directions.

1 Centre de Nanosciences et de Nanotechnologies (C2N), CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau 91120, France

2 Institut Photovoltaïque d’Ile-de-France (IPVF), Palaiseau 91120, France

Bob van der Zwaan

Solar Energy from an Energy and Climate Scenarios Perspective

In this lecture the role of solar energy in global climate change mitigation is presented from both a technology assessment and integrated energy system modeling perspective. Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) constitute an important tool in the work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Most IPCC scenarios report a massive expansion of photovoltaics as one of the leading options to implement deep reductions in CO2 emissions before 2050. Current multi-disciplinary and techno-economic research focuses on whether solar energy can play an even larger role by extending its application beyond that in the generation and direct use of electricity.

1 TNO, Energy Transition department (ETS), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2 University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Science (HIMS and IAS), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

3 Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Bologna, Italy

© AMOLF 2021