Repeatable Perovskite Solar Cells through Fully Automated Spin-Coating and Quenching

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Perovskite-based optoelectronics are crucial for advancing material domains.
• Reproducibility, repeatability, and transferability are key challenges in perovskite processing.
• Antisolvent quenching is a critical but difficult-to-reproduce step in perovskite thin-film fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a fully automated perovskite thin-film processing method.
• To enhance the reproducibility and transferability of antisolvent quenching.
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of automated processing for high-performance perovskite solar cells.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a commercial spin-coating robot within an inert atmosphere for perovskite thin-film processing.
• Applied automated processing to the antisolvent quenching step.
• Fabricated perovskite solar cells using the automated spin-coating method.

Main Results:

• Achieved exceptional repeatability in perovskite thin-film processing compared to manual methods.
• Demonstrated high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 19.9% in champion perovskite solar cells.
• Observed improved homogeneity across the substrate surface with automated processing.
• Confirmed performance on par with manual processing by expert researchers.

Conclusions:

• Fully automated perovskite thin-film processing significantly improves repeatability and uniformity.
• The developed automated system demonstrates excellent transferability of established processes.
• Automated systems offer a foundation for autonomous optimization and inter-laboratory standardization in perovskite research.