CEA-PSK - Platform for SJ and PSK/Si tandem stability assessment

• Clean room facilities
• Characterization of single junction or tandem architectures: I-V characterizations (1 sun or low light indoor down to 200 Lux), EQE, Electroluminescence/photoluminescence
• Encapsulation facilities (hot vacuum laminator, lab roll to roll laminator, UV curing lamps) and measurement of gas permeation of encapsulating materials (permeameters, set-up for the measurement of the side-permeation)
• Lifetime studies: diverse climatic chambers for accelerated tests; natural outdoor and artificial indoor platform
• Optical and electrical simulation
• Advances characterization tool: In-lab hard X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy, Time of flight secondary ions mass spectrometry, Photoemission microscopy, UPS

Three services will be available to users:

• Perovskite device characterization: The Perovskite PV facilities will be available to characterize PV device performances (e.g. electrical measurements): Solar simulator: 1 Sun and low light Specific bentch for indoor down to 200 Lux. For single junction or tandem architectures. Photoluminescence and electro-luminescence imaging are available (up to 15/15cm²)
• Reliability assessment for materials, solar cells and modules: AT CEA-INES all required equipment to comply with standard requirements as presented in IEC61215/91730 are available. Furthermore, an ageing platform composed of several ageing set-ups allows studying the evaluation of the device lifetime under various conditions (as described in latest ISOS protocols). The PV module reliability and durability test facility is available for access. It consists of an indoor accelerated ageing test facility and of an outdoor test facility. The facilities are used to perform tests well beyond the IEC certification standard requirements to drive diagnosis of the failure modes, their root-cause and possible remedies.
• Encapsulation and Gas barrier measurements: development, fabrication and characterization. All process steps are performed within the same infrastructure, allowing a fast implementation on solar cells and modules. Encapsulation studies are conducted on up-to-date equipment allowing assessment of various materials and processing conditions, from roll to roll to vacuum lamination. Device degradation is analysed through in-depth characterization conducted at the device level (imaging methods, variable illumination measurements) but also at the material scale. In particular, encapsulation by itself and encapsulation materials stability can be characterized at CEA-INES (permeameters), while more classical characterizations tools are also available routinely.

For trans-national access, access will be given to the infrastructure in Le Bouget du Lac, pending CEA security validation, and in full accordance with access VIPERLAB conditions. Preparatory work, duration of the access, data analysis needed will be discussed and agreed upon before physical access can be granted. CEA employees will accompany users on site and guide them in the predefined tasks to ensure safety at all times

The research performed in this platform is state-of-the-art and the laboratory has already participated in numerous other EU projects. Highly skilled R&D staff will be in support of external users and willing to help users achieve their objectives. Discussion of needs, definition of preparatory work, on-site experiments and data analysis will be discussed in detail.

• MATHERO (FP7 project): Enhancing the efficiency of organic solar cells, reducing their production costs and increasing their lifetime. CEA was involved in the development of disruptive encapulating materials and processes and lifetime
• MUJULIMA (FP7 project): Development of high performance, commercially competitive materials with excellent intrinsic stabilities for the cost effective production of double and triple junction OPVs, for improved light management and for enhanced outdoor stability. CEA developed light management materials and was responsible of the lifetime work package.
• ALABO (H2020): Development of organic electronic building elements on flexible substrates with monolithically integrated barrier foils as the substrate. CEA was involved in the rapid characterization of the gas barrier properties of conductive foils (after laser scribing) and is responsible of the work package on gas barrier measurements.
• APOLO (H2020): Development of flexible Perovskite solar cells that are reliable, fully printable, with an efficiency of 22% and with at least 90% of initial performance maintained after relevant accelerated ageing tests.
• UNIQUE (SOLAR-ERANET): brings together renowned European research centres and strategic industrial partners whom identified carbon based perovskite solar cells to be the most promising variant of the technology for industrialization.

List of up to 5 relevant publications,

Energy Technol. 2020, 8, 2000041

• Perovskite Test: A High Throughput Method to Screen

Ambient Encapsulation Conditions

• Booker & al; Perovskite Test: A High Throughput Method to Screen Ambient Encapsulation Conditions, Energy Technol. 8, 2000041 (2020)
• Boldrighini et al., Optical calcium test for measurement of multiple permeation pathways in flexible organic optoelectronic encapsulation, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 90, 014710 (2019)
• M.V. Khenkin et al., Consensus statement for stability assessment and reporting for perovskite photovoltaics based on ISOS procedures, Nature Energy 5, 35 (2020