posted on 2024-02-23, 19:05authored byDechan Angmo, Shiqin Yan, Daniel Liang, Andrew D. Scully, Anthony S. R. Chesman, Michael Kellam, Noel W. Duffy, Nick Carter, Regine Chantler, Cherry Chen, Mei Gao
The thin physical
profile of perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs)
fabricated on flexible substrates provides the prospect of a disruptive
increase in specific power (power-to-mass ratio), an important figure-of-merit
for solar cells to be used in space applications. In contrast to recent
reports on space applications of PSCs which focus on rigid glass-based
devices, in this work we investigate the suitability of flexible PSCs
for low-earth orbit (LEO) applications, where the perovskite layer
in the PSCs was prepared using either a Ruddlesden–Popper precursor
composition (BA2MA3Pb4I13; BA = butylammonium, MA = methylammonium) or a mixed-cation precursor
composition (Cs0.05FA0.81MA0.14Pb2.55Br0.45; FA = formamidinium). The flexible PSC
devices display a tolerance to high-energy proton (14 MeV) and electron
(>1 MeV) radiation comparable with, or superior to, equivalent
glass-based
PSC devices. The photovoltaic performance of the PSCs is found to
be significantly less dependent on angle-of-incidence than GaAs-based
triple-junction solar cells commonly used for space applications.
Results from a preliminary test of the robustness of the perovskite
film when subjected to LEO-like thermal environments are also reported.
In addition, a unique deployment concept integrating printed flexible
solar cells with titanium–nickel based shape memory alloy ribbons
is presented for thermally actuated deployment of flexible solar cells
from a rolled state.