Mass Production of Perovskite Solar Cells is Accelerating

As a new generation of solar cells, "perovskite solar cells" are attracting much attention. It can be installed on windows and walls, and can generate electricity indoors, making it easy to use. Perovskite solar cells also have the advantages of low price, small investment, and simple preparation.

Although there are various materials used to make solar cells, more than 95% of the currently popular solar cells are silicon solar cells.

However, silicon can crack if it is too thin, so a certain thickness is required. The average weight of silicon solar cells is 10 to 15 kilograms per square meter, and they are limited to installation on the tops of high-strength buildings or rooftops. Moreover, the manufacturing process is complex and the cost is high.

Perovskite solar cells solve the above problems. Perovskite is a crystal structure, and perovskite solar cells use thin films formed by crystals of iodine, lead, etc. to generate electricity. Even with a thickness of only 0.1 micron, it can generate electricity. The weight is only about one-tenth that of silicon. In addition, perovskite solar cells are highly flexible and can be installed in locations that were difficult to place in the past. It can be made very simply and cheaply by simply coating the material on a thin glass or plastic substrate. Moreover, even on cloudy or rainy days, indoor light can be used to generate electricity.

The conversion efficiency of perovskite cells has improved rapidly. Since its invention in 2009, the conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells has increased from only 3.8% to 25.7%. In addition, perovskite stacked cells are even expected to exceed 50%. The photoelectric conversion rate shows broad development prospects. If perovskite solar cells become commonplace, people could easily make them themselves and use indoor light to charge their smartphones.

Perovskite solar cells also face challenges. One is that it is not resistant to moisture and damage, and the other is that it contains lead that is harmful to the human body. A research team conducted research and development using tin, which is less toxic than lead, and replaced the reduced lead content with tin, achieving a conversion efficiency of 23.6%. In addition, mass production also requires large-area uniform coating technology, and uneven coating will reduce quality. Since a larger application area may lead to a decrease in conversion efficiency, it is also important to consider both a large area and high conversion efficiency.