Proton Radiation Tolerance of Wide-Bandgap Halide Perovskites for Advanced Space Photovoltaic Applications

The pursuit of efficient and resilient photovoltaic materials for space applications has led to the exploration of organic-inorganic halide perovskites, recognized for their excellent optoelectronic properties and potential radiation tolerance. This study specifically examines the proton irradiation effects on organic-inorganic mixed-halide perovskite thin films and their corresponding photovoltaic devices with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 20%.<br/>We subjected the perovskite thin films and photovoltaic devices to proton irradiation at an energy of 80 keV and a fluence of 2E14 protons/cm², simulating the extreme conditions encountered in space. Characterizations performed on the thin films included photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (Tof-SIMS) depth profiling, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling, and time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis (Tof-ERDA) depth profiling. Additionally, current-voltage (I-V) measurements were conducted before and after proton irradiation to evaluate the photovoltaic performance.<br/>Our results demonstrate that the perovskite photovoltaic devices not only endure the proton irradiation but also exhibit a recovery in performance post-irradiation. The in-depth characterization of the thin films provides insights into the mechanisms behind this recovery, highlighting the robustness and potential of wide-bandgap halide perovskites for space photovoltaic applications. This research contributes valuable knowledge towards the development of durable and high-performance solar cells for future space missions, emphasizing the importance of understanding and enhancing the radiation tolerance of advanced photovoltaic materials.