Potential, Radiation Tolerance and Damage Mechanisms of Perovskite Multijunction-Based Space PV

Perovskite multijunction-based space PV systems promise excellent power conversion efficiencies beyond the detailed balance limit of their single junction counterparts while requiring only ultra-thin absorber layers. Their high power-weight (W/g) potentials consequently make them a dream power source for private-driven space exploration, planned satellite mega-constellations, and future habitats on Moon and Mars. Yet there are still questions regarding their long-term stability under light, bias, and ambient conditions, and application outside Earth’s protective atmosphere place even more extreme demands on material and device stability.<br/><br/>In this presentation, I will review lessons learned during various high-energy proton irradiation experiments we conducted on perovskite single-junctions, as well as perovskite/Silicon, perovskite/CIGS, and perovskite/perovskite tandem PV. ^1–4 With perovskite subcells being highly radiation tolerant perovskite/perovskite tandems, even exceed commercially available, industry-standard III-V semiconductors on Ge triple-junction space solar cells in terms of radiation tolerance.<br/><br/>To enable a deeper understanding of potential degradation mechanisms, I will present various subcell-specific characterization techniques that allow disentangling of the different losses and limiting factors in monolithic interconnected perovskite-based multijunction solar cells. Contrary to standard <i>JV </i>characterizations, this approach allows us to assess the performance and loss mechanisms of the individual subcells, even after their assembly in a monolithic tandem stack. I will begin with subcell-specific characterizations after high energetic irradiation mimicking the harsh radiation environment in space and then continue with various examples in which we identify limiting loss mechanisms and efficiency potentials in perovskite/silicon and perovskite/perovskite tandems.⁵^,6,7 After all, such deep understanding is pivotal to further optimizing the efficiency as well as the stability for space applications.<br/><br/><b>References</b><br/>(1) Lang, F.; Eperon, G. E.; Frohna, K.; Tennyson, E. M.; Al Ashouri, A.; Kourkafas, G.; Bundesmann, J.; Denker, A.; West, K. G.; Hirst, L. C.; Neitzert, H.-C.; Stranks, S. D. . <i>Adv. Energy Mater.</i> 2021, <i>11</i> (41), 2102246.<br/>(2) Lang, F.; Jošt, M.; Frohna, K.; Köhnen, E.; Al Ashouri, A.; Bowman, A. R.; Bertram, T.; Morales-Vilches, A. B.; Koushik, D.; Tennyson, E. M.; Galkowski, K.; Landi, G.; Creatore, M.; Stannowski, B.; Kaufmann, C. A.; Bundesmann, J.; Rappich, J.; Rech, B.; Denker, A.; Albrecht, S.; Neitzert, H.-C.; Nickel, N. H.; Stranks, S. D. . <i>Joule</i> <b>2020</b>, <i>4</i> (5), 1054–1069. .<br/>(3) Lang, F.; Jošt, M.; Bundesmann, J.; Denker, A.; Albrecht, S.; Landi, G.; Neitzert, H.-C. C.; Rappich, J.; Nickel, N. H. . <i>Energy Environ. Sci.</i> <b>2019</b>, <i>12</i> (5), 1634–1647.<br/>(4) Lang, F.; Nickel, N. H.; Bundesmann, J.; Seidel, S.; Denker, A.; Albrecht, S.; Brus, V. V.; Rappich, J.; Rech, B.; Landi, G.; Neitzert, H. C. H.-C. . <i>Adv. Mater.</i> <b>2016</b>, <i>28</i> (39), 8726–8731.<br/>(5) Lang, F.; Köhnen, E.; Warby, J.; Xu, K.; Grischek, M.; Wagner, P.; Neher, D.; Korte, L.; Albrecht, S.; Stolterfoht, M. . <i>ACS Energy Lett.</i> <b>2021</b>, <i>6</i> (11), 3982–3991.<br/>(6) P. Tockhorn, J. Sutter, A. Cruz, P. Wagner, K. Jäger, D. Yoo, F. Lang, M. Grischek, B. Li, J. Li, O. Shargaieva, E. Unger, A. Al-Ashouri, E. Köhnen, M. Stolterfoht, D. Neher, R. Schlatmann, B. Rech, B. Stannowski, S. Albrecht, C. Becker, , Nat. Nanotechnol. 2022,<br/>(7) J. Thiesbrummel, F. Peña-Camargo, K. O. Brinkmann, E. Gutierrez-Partida, F. Yang, J. Warby, S. Albrecht, D. Neher, T. Riedl, H. J. Snaith, M. Stolterfoht, F. Lang, ARXIV, 2022.