perovskite/silicon tandem cell

German scientists have investigated the role of surface texturing in perovskite-silicon tandem cells and have found that several new processes offer the ability to etch smaller, more uniform textures onto the surface of a silicon cell than today’s industry standard. This could help to ease the subsequent growth of a perovskite cell on top of the silicon, enabling researchers and manufacturers to target higher performance.

U.S. scientists have demonstrated a perovskite-silicon tandem cell they claim has low reflectance losses and strong potential for commercial production. The tandem architecture involves a manufacturing process featuring the solution-based blading of perovskites onto textured silicon wafers.

By tweaking the chemical composition of the material to create a ‘triple’ perovskite, scientists at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory say they have overcome one of the technology’s inherent stability issues and fabricated a perovskite cell which achieved 27% efficiency in a tandem format with a silicon device.

This week pv magazine was in Amsterdam for the sixth edition of the BifiPV workshop, where the discussion focused on the impressive achievements made by bifacial solar modules and the challenges the technology faces as it moves toward mainstream adoption.