Independent Platform For Tandem Technology

• By 2024-end, Fraunhofer ISE plans to build a process line for perovskite-silicon tandem technology
• The line will enable the institute to manufacture, characterize and test perovskite-silicon solar cells and modules on industrial wafer format M12
• It is planned to be equipped with vacuum evaporation methods claiming it will be more suitable for industrial substrate sizes
• At module level, it will have a a next-generation industrial adhesive stringer and a luminescence system for the quality control of the interconnection process

Aiming for rapid commercialization of the perovskite-silicon tandem PV technology, the German research institute Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems ISE is building a process line for the manufacturing, characterization and testing of perovskite-silicon solar cells and modules on the industrial wafer format M12, to be ready by 2024-end.

Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the Pero-Si-SCALE project is aimed to be an independent technology platform to bring next generation solar cells and modules to the market at the earliest.

Fraunhofer ISE says the process line includes equipment for the vacuum deposition and wet chemical coating of the perovskite subcell at the cell level. It will focus on vacuum evaporation methods to apply the perovskite subcell to the silicon subcell as well as for applying the contacts, since this will be more suitable for industrial substrate sizes as against wet chemical spin coating that's mostly used for fabrication in the lab setting.

Industrially viable vacuum evaporation processes for the deposition of perovskite materials and contact layers are being developed by the institute under the LiverPool project.

On the other hand, at module level the process line will be equipped with a next-generation industrial adhesive stringer and a luminescence system for the quality control of the interconnection process.

"In addition, the project will allow us to extend the processes for characterization, calibration and quality analysis of solar cells and modules at Fraunhofer ISE to accommodate large wafers," added Project Manager of the Pero-Si-SCALE project, Dr Martin Hermle.

Recently, in an exclusive interview as part of the TaiyangNews & SNEC Solar Leadership Conversations, Dr Martin Green expressed his apprehensions about perovskite-silicon tandem cell technology to be commercialized by 2030 (see SNEC Exclusive: Interview With Professor Martin Green).

Nonetheless, speaking to several leading solar industry leaders in China as part of TaiyangNews & SNEC exclusive executive interview series, one realizes that perovskite-silicon tandem is very much on their radar as part of their future research and development plans. The interviews are all available on TaiyangNews YouTube Channel.