ABOUT US
The ANU Perovskite solar cell research group is jointly led by Prof. Kylie Catchpole, A/Prof Tom White and A/Prof Klaus Weber. Our focus is to advance the technology in order to facilitate and accelerate its commercialisation, thus helping to further drive down the cost of solar electricity generation.
Our work spans a number of interrelated areas. We have a strong focus on understanding the basic material and device properties, in order to identify factors limiting device performance and stability. Such an understanding guides the rational design of improved devices. This work is underpinned by the development of sophisticated device models and measurement techniques. We develop improved, low cost transport layers and electrodes, which are required for efficient current extraction from the device. Another important research topic is the investigation of degradation mechanisms in perovskite films and cells, under conditions that mimic actual cell operating conditions in the field, by probing the relationship between material properties, device architecture and device stability. Finally, we develop high efficiency tandem cells to exploit the full potential of the technology and demonstrate solar cell efficiencies significantly greater than is possible with conventional solar photovoltaic technologies. In this area, we have reported on record efficiency devices developed in our labs.
We have strong links with many of the world’s leading research institutions in the field, as well as with solar cell manufacturers including Jinko Solar, GCL and Greatcell.
CURRENTLY FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS
2018 - 2021 Development of stable electrodes for perovskite solar cells
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) R&D Project (2018 - 2021)
2018 - 2021 Monolithic perovskite-silicon tandem cells: towards commercial reality
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) R&D Project (2018 - 2021)
2018 - 2021 Engineering Stable, efficient perovskite solar cells
Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project DP180100835 (2018 - 2021)
This project aims to resolve a critical issue facing perovskite solar cells: their instability under actual operating conditions where cells are subjected to diurnal (day-night) cycling. Over the diurnal cycle,changes in the electrochemical potential within the cell result in the movement of mobile ionic species. As these ions move through the perovskite material—and migrate into other layers that make up the solar cell—they can cause the cell to degrade by triggering decomposition of the perovskite material; corroding the contacts; and potentially causing delamination of the cell layers.
While it is clear that mobile ionic species cause degradation, the link between ion migration and perovskite cell stability has yet to be fully determined. Critically, the most commonly-used testing regimes do not reflect real-world operating conditions and hence do not accurately evaluate stability. This project aims to systematically and rigorously evaluate strategies to prevent cell degradation due to ionic movement and to understand and prevent the instability of perovskite solar cells under operating conditions where cells are subjected to diurnal cycling.
Project partners: University of Maryland, Dr Andreas Fell (Fraunhofer ISE & AF Simulations)