Methylammonium-free co-evaporated perovskite absorbers with high radiation and UV tolerance: an option for in-space manufacturing of space-PV?

Abstract

With a remarkable tolerance to high-energetic radiation and potential high power-to-weight ratios, halide perovskite-based solar cells are interesting for future space PV applications. In this work, we fabricate and test methylammonium-free, co-evaporated FA_0.7Cs_0.3Pb(I_0.9Br_0.1)₃ perovskite solar cells that could potentially be fabricated in space or on the Moon by physical vapor deposition, making use of the available vacuum present. The absence of methylammonium hereby increased the UV-light stability significantly, an important factor considering the increased UV proportion in the extra-terrestrial solar spectrum. We then tested their radiation tolerance under high energetic proton irradiation and found that the PCE degraded to 0.79 of its initial value due to coloring of the glass substrate, a typical problem that often complicates analysis. To disentangle damage mechanisms and to assess whether the perovskite degraded, we employ injection-current-dependent electroluminescence (EL) and intensity-dependent V_OC measurements to derive pseudo-JV curves that are independent of parasitic effects. This way we identify a high radiation tolerance with 0.96 of the initial PCE remaining after 1 × 10¹³ p⁺ cm⁻² which is beyond today's space material systems (<0.8) and on par with those of previously tested solution-processed perovskite solar cells. Together our results render co-evaporated perovskites as highly interesting candidates for future space manufacturing, while the pseudo-JV methodology presents an important tool to disentangle parasitic effects.