Degradation Mechanisms in Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices

Name: João Dos Santos Bastos

Prof. dr. ir. Jozef Poortmans

Perovskite photovoltaic devices are one of the most promising thin-film photovoltaic technologies, as they conjugate high performance, low material costs, flexibility and color tunability. These characteristics can be applied in innovative applications for the collection of solar power, as well as in the improvement of the performance of current photovoltaic technologies. The up-scaling of this technology is happening quickly, with reports of area and efficiencies of modules constantly increasing. The hardest challenge left for this technology to become commercially available is the guarantee of long-term stability.

This doctoral project is an in-depth investigation of the degradation mechanisms occurring in archetypal perovskite photovoltaic devices. We investigate the main degradation mechanisms under mono- and multi-stress scenarios and identify the weakest points of the technology. By quantifying the kinetics ruling the degradation mechanism we present the first model to estimate the lifetime of perovskite photovoltaic devices based on weather data. Moreover, based on the understanding of the key degradation mechanisms in perovskite photovoltaic devices, we demonstrate strategies to prolong long-term stability of these devices. Finally, we provide more general conclusions and an outlook on how to further improve the stability of perovskite photovoltaic devices and their research.

https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/632962

Prof. dr. ir. Jozef Poortmans (promotor) 
Prof. dr. ir. Paul Sas (voorzitter/chairman) 
Prof. dr. ir. Paul Heremans (secretaris/secretary) 
Prof. dr. Mark Van der Auweraer 
Prof. dr. Koen Vandewal , UHasselt 
Dr. David Cheyns , Imec 
Dr. Ulrich W. Paetzold , Karlsruhe Institute of Technology