Propelling Solar Technology Into A Perovskite Future

The EU-funded LOCAL-HEAT project is developing next-generation perovskite materials to make clean energy more accessible and affordable around the world.

A major challenge in photovoltaics is how to build high-performance solar cells that are cost-effective, reliable and sustainable. Perovskites – a unique class of semiconductor materials – show great promise to tackle this challenge and could lead to lightweight, flexible and more affordable solar panels. They are investigated as a standalone technology, but can also be combined with traditional technologies such as silicon. However, advances are still required to understand perovskite formation at the microscopic level.

This is where LOCAL-HEAT comes in. Launched in September 2022, the project is working to gain insight into and control the local heating and crystallisation processes that occur during the thin-film formation of perovskite materials. The aim is to make perovskite solar cells both more efficient and more stable. “Our broader vision is to help bring perovskite technology from the laboratory to large-scale, real-world applications, making clean energy more accessible and affordable worldwide,” explains lead researcher Michael Saliba, director of the Institute for Photovoltaics at the University of Stuttgart (with a dual affiliation at Research Centre Juelich), which is coordinating the project.

One of LOCAL-HEAT’s key achievements so far has been reaching one of the highest open-circuit voltages for a wide-bandgap perovskite, an important quality measure. The project partners have also monitored perovskite formation in real time. This is offering new insights into the crystallisation process and helping the research team identify ideal conditions for growing high-quality films.

Another achievement by the LOCAL-HEAT researchers has been the introduction of laser polishing techniques that improve the surface quality of the perovskite layer, enhancing device performance. Finally, building on chemical knowledge, they have also made effective use of green solvents, making the fabrication process more environmentally friendly.

On the horizon
LOCAL-HEAT researchers are currently exploring how targeted laser light can be used to locally modify the properties of perovskite films after they are formed. This could make it possible to fine-tune solar cell performance in a controlled and scalable way. At the same time, they are applying their in situ tools to other perovskite compositions and device architectures to broaden the applicability of their research findings.

By 2027, the project team expects to have gained an in-depth understanding of perovskite crystallisation and how to control these processes to improve performance and stability. “This knowledge will be vital for supporting industrial-scale production, particularly for large-area solar modules based on a single or even multiple perovskite layers,” states Saliba. “Our developments – including green solvent systems, in situ diagnostic tools and laser-based surface modifications – will offer a comprehensive toolbox for both researchers and manufacturers.”

By bridging fundamental insights with scalable methods, LOCAL-HEAT (Controlled Local Heating to Crystallize Solution-based Semiconductors for Next-Generation Solar Cells and Optoelectronics) has set its sights on accelerating not only scientific progress but also the commercialisation of next-generation perovskite solar technologies.