Project E – Lead-Free Perovskite Semiconductors with Tunable Bandgap for Energy Conversion

Photovoltaics, currently the cheapest and most efficient technology to convert solar light into electricity, are dominated by silicon wafer-based semiconductor technology. Thin film technologies, which can be deposited at low temperatures and at atmospheric conditions, promise to overcome the residual disadvantages of the silicon technology, such as the long processing time and expensive scale-up costs. However, the compositional and processing parameter range for novel thin film semiconductors is enormously broad and is driven by performance parameters like efficiency, lifetime, and costs. These factors make the time to market for novel semiconducting materials today ́s major challenge. In this project we will, therefore, combine specific aspects of robot-based synthesis methodologies with advanced characterization techniques to explore the parameter space of novel Pb-free perovskite semiconductors, allowing for the generation of a comprehensive database of perovskite semiconductors. The ultimate goal is to convert the most promising candidates into efficient single-junction or multi-junction devices or innovative layers for energy conversion.