Electroplated Copper Metal Contacts on Perovskite Solar Cells

Electroplated copper contacts on small-area single-junction perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using an atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3 masking layer on ITO are demonstrated for the first time. The photoconversion efficiency of approximate to 11% after manufacturing the Cu contacts confirms that PSCs can survive the wet-chemical plating process. From the successful realization of plated contact fingers, the creation of an electrical contact between the Cu electrode and the ITO on the FA(0.75)Cs(0.25)Pb(I0.8Br0.2)(3) perovskite absorber is inferred. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis shows the formation of a compact interface between ITO and plated Cu. An additional plating approach, using self-passivated aluminum as mask, allows to produce well-defined 30 mu m wide Cu contacts on the PSC. Such a plating process allows for plating a low-resistive Cu grid simultaneously on both sides of a perovskite silicon heterojunction tandem solar cell with TCO, independent of substrate size.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates the electroplating of copper contacts on small-area single-junction perovskite solar cells using an atomic layer deposited Al2O3 masking layer. The successful creation of plated contact fingers and electrical contact between the Cu electrode and the ITO on the perovskite absorber is confirmed. Additionally, the plating process allows for producing well-defined copper contacts on the PSC and tandem solar cells independent of substrate size.