Publication date: 1st July 2014
Organolead halide perovskite photovoltaic devices produced from sub-micron films of methylamonium lead iodide are making significant progress towards delivering high performance low-cost solution-processed photovoltaics[1]. Since 2012 the efficiency of these devices have increased considerably with certified conversion efficiencies of 17.9% reported this year[2]. Conventionally these devices are produced by the spin-coating method where an excess of the precursor solution is applied to the device substrate which is then rotated at high speed to produce an even film. This batch-processing technique although highly reproducible is wasteful and incompatible with high-volume continuous manufacturing. If solution processed perovskite photovoltaic devices are to realise their potential, scalable manufacturing methods based on industrial printing and coating processes are essential.
An alternative to the conventional spin-coating method is slot-die coating. This roll-to-roll compatible process pumps a coating formulation into a machined die positioned above the moving substrate. A controlled volume of liquid exits the die through a precise slot to produce a continuous wet film on the substrate as it passes beneath the coating head.
Here, slot-die coating is demonstrated as a successful candidate for the deposition of methylamonium lead iodide solutions that can be crystallised to form sub-micron films of organolead halide perovskite. Films produced by the slot-die coating process and the spin-coating method show strong similarities when examined using a scanning-electron microscope and stylus profilometer. This suggests the suitability of slot-die coating as a candidate process for the large scale manufacture of perovskite photovoltaics. Work is ongoing to optimise a device architecture that will enable the production of photovoltaic devices using films produced by this slot-die coating method.
[1] M.M. Lee, J. Teuscher, T. Miyasaka, T.N. Murakami, H.J. Snaith, Efficient Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Meso-Superstructured Organometal Halide Perovskites, Science (80-. ). (2012) 1–7. doi:10.1126/science.1228604.
[2] NREL, Best Research-Cell Efficiencies, (2014). http://www.nrel.gov/ncpv/images/efficiency_chart.jpg (accessed July 09, 2014).
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