Exploiting The Synergy between Perovskite and Organic Photovoltaics in Semi-Transparent Solar Cells and Modules

Metal halide perovskites, characterized by tunable bandgaps, cost-effectiveness, and excellent optoelectronic properties, find diverse applications from indoor photovoltaics to tandem integration with silicon. Notably, their tunable bandgap enables transparent photovoltaics, a transformative technology for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Photovoltaic windows represent a compelling application, where visible light transmission is crucial, allowing for effective conversion of near-infrared (NIR) and/or near-ultraviolet (NUV) light into electrical energy. This technology holds particular promise in urban settings with limited rooftop space for traditional photovoltaics. The ability to continuously adjust the bandgap of halide perovskite materials across a broad spectrum facilitates the development of semi-transparent solar cells and modules with high visual transmittance. Through bandgap optimization, tandem configurations with NIR organic solar cells can be designed to enhance efficiency without compromising average visual transmittance (AVT). This coupling can be boosted by a specific light management optimization that allows to increase the current density and/or the AVT and consequently the light utilization efficiency (LUE) of the cell. Numerical simulations suggest that optimized tandem architectures, leveraging photonic crystals and materials, can achieve a 15% power conversion efficiency with a 50% AVT.[1] The EU CITYSOLAR consortium [2] addresses this challenge through tailored strategies, encompassing material optimization, light management, and innovative characterization approaches. This presentation highlights the consortium's progress in surpassing the state of the art, showcasing diverse fabrication techniques, from solution processes to physical deposition, for see-through photovoltaics. Beyond solar cells, module-level developments, including a low-temperature, full blade-coating method for depositing semi-transparent FAPbBr₃-based perovskite modules on 300 cm substrates [3] and innovative coupling between top perovskite module and bottom organic module [4] are discussed.<br/><br/># Work performed within the CITYSOLAR consortium (www.citysolar-h2020.eu)<br/><br/>[1] D Rossi, K Forberich, F Matteocci, M Auf der Maur, HJ Egelhaaf, Christoph J Brabec, Aldo Di Carlo “Design of Highly Efficient Semitransparent Perovskite/Organic Tandem Solar Cells” Solar RRL 6 (9), 2200242<br/>[2] https://www.citysolar-h2020.eu/.<br/>[3] Jessica Barichello, Diego Di Girolamo, Elisa Nonni, Barbara Paci, Amanda Generosi, Minjin Kim, Alexandra Levtchenko, Stefania Cacovich, Aldo Di Carlo, Fabio Matteocci “Semi-Transparent Blade-Coated FAPbBr3 Perovskite Solar Cells: A Scalable Low-Temperature Manufacturing Process under Ambient Condition” Solar RRLVolume 7, 2200739 (2022)<br/>[4] J. Wachsmuth, A. Distler, C. Liu, T. Heumüller, Y. Liu, C. M. Aitchison, A. Hauser, M. Rossier, A. Robitaille, M-A. Llobel, P.-O. Morin, A. Thepaut, C. Arrive, I. McCulloch, Y. Zhou, J. C. Brabec, H.-J. “Fully Printed and Industrially Scalable Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaic Modules: Navigating through Material and Processing Constraints”, Solar RRL 7, 2300602 (2023)<br/><br/><b>Acknowledgments</b><br/>This research has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101007084 (CITYSOLAR). We acknowledge all the research team at CITYSOLAR consortium for their support.