2D Electrochemical Scanning for Defects in Perovskite Films

This invention introduces a disposable, non-destructive electrochemical sensor designed to characterize and monitor reactive defects in lead halide perovskite solar cell layers during high-throughput manufacturing processes. The sensor provides real-time assessment of quality, stability, and durability under stressors such as humidity, light, and temperature. Unlike traditional methods requiring complex spectroscopic setups, this technology employs electrochemical techniques to detect defect concentrations. By integrating redox probes into the electrolyte, the sensor captures detailed defect distributions, ion migration dynamics, and semiconductor surface chemistry. The device also benchmarks its findings against established methods, such as photoluminescence and spectroelectrochemical techniques, to ensure reliability and accuracy. This innovation paves the way for consistent quality control and enhanced understanding of defect mechanisms in perovskite layers, facilitating commercial scalability of solar cell manufacturing.

Background:
Lead halide perovskite solar cells are considered a breakthrough in renewable energy due to their high efficiency and low production cost. However, achieving uniformity and long-term stability during roll-to-roll manufacturing remains a significant challenge. Existing defect characterization methods, such as spectroscopy and computational approaches, often lack the sensitivity, spatial resolution, or scalability needed for in-line manufacturing. Electrochemical methods, in contrast, offer simplicity, high sensitivity, and the ability to characterize both surface and bulk defects at various length scales. This electrochemical sensor addresses these limitations with a simple, fast, and cost-effective solution suitable for high-throughput operations.

Applications: 

• Perovskite solar cells
• Perovskite solar films
• Opto-electric devices (e.g. photodetectors, transistors, radiation detectors, lasers, LEDs, etc.)

Advantages: 

• Non-destructive and disposable for easy integration into manufacturing
• High sensitivity to low defect concentrations 
• Real-time monitoring of quality, stability, and durability
• Cost-effective and scalable compared to traditional spectroscopic methods
• Enables predictive insights into long-term device performance
• In-line quality control
• Baseline for future defect generation / propagation technologies