ABSTRACT

The current solar panels that are on the market now are expensive, use rare metals, and are very fragile causing a very high initial investment. The quick development of perovskite photovoltaics is a pathway to finding solving this problem. Perovskite photovoltaics will lead to a cheaper, more durable, and rare metals free solar panel in the very near future. Perovskite photovoltaics are developed in the laboratory using fairly simple and proven low temperature, thin-film techniques with relative success. Although efficiency and reliability are not as high as silicon based photovoltaics, the pace and opportunity perovskite photovoltaics possess makes them a tremendous candidate to study.

The material presented here is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. EEC-0813570 and EEC-1406296. Any opinions, findings, and

conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Perovskite Photovoltaic DevelopmentMark Drier and Feng Zhu*, Javier Vela*, Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011

RESEARCH QUESTION/HYPOTHESIS

Can a reliable, inexpensive and elimination of rare

metals in the construction of photovoltaics be developed

and used on a large and commercial scale? The rapid

study and development of perovskite photovoltaics has

this potential.

REFERENCES

Electron-Hole Diffusion Lengths Exceeding 1

Micrometer in an Organometal Trihalide Perovskite

Absorber, Samuel D. Stranks et. al. Science 342, 341

(2013); DOI: 10.1126/science.1243982

RESULTS & GRAPHICS/CHARTS

The following graphics and charts show the thickness of each layer of a perovskite photovoltaic, a schematic of a photovoltaic, a

picture of an actual perovskite photovoltaic made in the lab and a I-V curve from the batch.

BACKGROUND

The study of perovskite photovoltaics is a relatively new area of

study. Although the perovskite crystalline structure has been

known for many years, only recently it was discovered of its

photovoltaic capabilities. With this new discovery, the challenge

of making perovskite photovoltaics a truly viable option in solar

power generation has been researched.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank Dr. Javier Vela, Feng Zhu, and the Vela

Lab Team for making this summer experience enjoyable. You

are a great group of people.

DISCUSSION

The goal of replicating working perovskite photovoltaics in the lab will have monumental effects in the making solar power more viable. This exercise in replicating the process will only add to the ever growing knowledge base. Although this batch did not test well, another batch was tested at an efficiency of 4-5%, which is still lower than the reference standard, but clearly shows advancements are being made. Once the reference standard is approached further enhancements can be addressed such as humidity resistance, durability concerns, and diffusion length maximization to reach higher efficiencies.

Standard

Graph

Glass

Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide Anode

TiO2

Thin Film Perovskite

spiro-OMeTAD (spirobifluorene)

Silver Cathode100-200 nm

100-200 nm

300-500 nm

100 nm

500 nm

Want low series resistance to

complete circuit

Want high shunt resistance to

prevent electrons from escaping

η=0.13%

METHODS

The process of making perovskite photovoltaics is well documented.

Starting with a fluorine doped tin oxide glass, spin coated thin-film layers

of titanium oxide, perovskite crystals, and spirobifluorine layers are

added at thicknesses ranging from 100 nm to 500 nm. A final layer of

silver is thermoevaporated (100 to 200 nm thick) on the perovskite

photovoltaic to complete the circuit.

Graph of

newly

tested

batch

η=4%

Graph of

first batch

η=12%