Revealing charge carrier transport and selectivity losses in perovskite silicon tandem solar cells

Abstract

Monolithic perovskite silicon tandem solar cells reach efficiencies beyond the theoretical efficiency limit of silicon single-junction solar cells. However, the metastability of perovskite materials and the increasing number of functional layers with increasing number of junctions undermines their stability. This poses a significant challenge for industrialization. To enable fast progress in performance and stability, advanced characterization methods tailored for metastable perovskite-based tandem solar cells are essential. This work discusses the Suns open-circuit voltage (Suns-V_OC) and intensity-dependent photoluminescence (Suns-PL) imaging methods, which are specifically adapted to perovskite silicon tandem solar cells. Spatially resolved implied open-circuit voltage and implied fill factor images facilitate the localization of losses in large-area solar cells, supporting root-cause analysis of electrical limitations. Furthermore, subcell-resolved Suns-V_OC measurements of the tandem solar cells allow charge carrier transport losses to be quantified. Combining both methods allows selectivity losses to be identified. Challenges of the methods are thoroughly analyzed, ensuring reliable measurements with the appropriate measurement routine.