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Accelerating optimization of halide perovskites: two blueprints for automation
Hilal Aybike Can1, Daniel Anthony Jacobs2, Nicolas Fürst2
1École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Electrical and Microengineering (IEM), Photovoltaics and Thin-Film Electronics Laboratory (PV-Lab) Rue de la Maladière 71b Neuchâtel 2000 Switzerland hilal.can@epfl.ch christian.wolff@epfl.ch.
Researchers developed two automated systems, High-Throughput Stability Testing Apparatus (HITSTA) and Robotic Operating System for Ink Engineering (ROSIE), to accelerate the discovery of stable, high-performance perovskite thin films for electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Nanoscience
Background:
- Developing high-performance and stable halide perovskite materials is crucial for advancing thin-film semiconductor technologies.
- Current methods for material optimization are often slow and labor-intensive, hindering rapid progress.
- Innovative tools are needed to enable high-throughput experimentation for accelerated material discovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present two complementary, automated systems designed to accelerate the development of solution-processed thin-film semiconductors.
- To provide detailed design and operational guidelines for replicating these systems.
- To demonstrate the utility of these systems in investigating perovskite material aging.
Main Methods:
- High-Throughput Stability Testing Apparatus (HITSTA): A cost-effective platform built on a repurposed 3D printer for optical characterization and accelerated aging of up to 49 samples.
- ROSIE (Robotic Operating System for Ink Engineering): A liquid-handling robot utilizing a hobbyist robotic arm and syringe pump for precise, automated ink formulation.
- Integrated system demonstration: Utilizing ROSIE and HITSTA to study the aging of mixed-cation, mixed-halide inorganic perovskites.
Main Results:
- HITSTA enables continuous monitoring of sample absorptance and photoluminescence under controlled temperature (up to 110 °C) and light intensity (2.2 suns).
- ROSIE facilitates automated and precise formulation of semiconductor inks, streamlining material preparation.
- The combined system effectively accelerated the investigation of perovskite thin-film aging, showcasing their synergistic capabilities.
Conclusions:
- HITSTA and ROSIE offer a powerful, integrated toolkit for high-throughput experimentation in solution-processable thin-film development.
- These systems significantly accelerate the optimization of material performance and stability.
- The presented systems and guidelines facilitate the replication and adoption of advanced experimental methodologies in materials science.
