Our ongoing activities focus on the design, synthesis, and characterization of functional photovoltaic building blocks and their integration in hybrid 3rd generation solar cells, with a special focus on perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
Novel organic and inorganic semiconductors are designed with the support of molecular modeling and machine learning techniques. The optimization of the solar cell activity is achieved by a deep understanding of the materials structure-property relationship through characterization of the photoactive materials and interfaces.
Our multidisciplinary activities dealing with chemistry, photophysics, materials science, and device engineering are supported by state-of-the-art facilities, including two glove boxes, class A++A+A LED solar simulator, class-AAA Xe-lamp solar simulator, quantum efficiency setup (EQE/IQE), Litos Lite (parallel J-V and ISOS stability), source-monitor units, thermal evaporator, and more.
We belong to the Chemistry and Advanced Materials (CAM) cluster at the ENS faculty. Within CAM, we can access advanced spectroscopy facilities (e.g., steady-state absorption/photoluminescence, time-resolved PL, transient absorption).
We are part of PREIN Flagship!
Research goals:
- Development of lead-free perovskite thin films and nanocrystals for photovoltaics and beyond
- Design and synthesis of low-cost and eco-friendly charge-transport materials for PSCs and OPVs
- Enhancement of the stability of PSCs
- Fabrication of flexible PSCs on PET substrates
- Characterization of solar cells under simulated sunlight and low-intensity indoor LED light
Ongoing projects
PERLA (Academy of Finland), 2022-2026
PI: Prof. Paola Vivo
Title: Mind the (band)gap: nano-to-micro optimization of lead-free perovskite solar cells
The poor stability of perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs), as well as the toxicity of the lead (Pb)-based precursors, are the main remaining obstacles to the widespread of this technology. PERLA project will contribute to developing the next generation of Pb-free perovskites and corresponding PSCs. We will focus on wide-bandgap perovskites as they are generally environmentally stable and broaden the application scenario beyond single-junction solar cells, being specifically suitable for indoor photovoltaics, tandem solar cells, and photocatalysis.
- SOL-TECH (Jane & Aatos Erkko foundation), 2022-2024
Partners: Prof. Paola Vivo (coordinator), Prof. Johanna Ruusuvuori, Prof. Marja Kaunonen, Assoc. Prof. Sofie Pelsmakers
Title: Human-centered solar smart technology design for healthy aging
Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation has granted 750 700€ to a multidisciplinary consortium at Tampere University. The project aims at developing solar-powered smart sensors for healthy aging. The consortium proposes a socio-technical approach for collaborating with older adults to rethink the existing fall prevention technologies and transforming them into a user-friendly and sustainable product powered by cutting-edge photovoltaic technology based on nontoxic perovskite solar cells.
Completed projects
1. ASPIRE (Jane & Aatos Erkko foundation), 2018-2021
Partners: Åbo Akademi (ÅA), Tampere University (TAU), Aalto University, (Aalto). PIs: Prof. R. Österbacka (Physics, ÅÅ), Dr. J-H. Smått (Physical Chemistry, ÅA), Prof. P. Lund (Aalto), Dr. P. Vivo (TAU).
Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation has granted 997 000 € to a Finnish consortium for research in and development of tomorrow’s perovskite solar cells. The research project is titled “A novel integrated approach for highly reproducible and stable perovskite solar cells (ASPIRE)” and is coordinated by Prof. R. Österbacka from ÅA. The project is based on a novel fabrication method for scalable perovskite solar cells. The novel method enables an integrated approach to simultaneously clarify the selectivity of the contacts, the crystallization of the perovskite material, and the development of new environmentally-friendly transport materials.
2. SolarWAVE (Business Finland, Forschungszentrum Jülich), 2018-2021
Business Finland and Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH have granted a bilateral project between TUT and Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) for research on PSCs. The project titled ‘Waterproof perovskite solar cells’ (SolarWAVE) is coordinated and managed by Dr. P. Vivo (TAU) and Prof. A. Abate (HZB). From the Finnish side, the key industrial partner of SolarWAVE is Confidex Oy. Moreover, the interest in SolarWAVE by Ruukki Oy and KONE Oy resulted in their steering and financial support for this research.
SolarWAVE aims to demonstrate a disruptive boost in PSCs stability, by proposing a new generation of printable water-stable PSCs with 10+ years lifetime. This will be obtained by passivating perovskites surfaces with novel organic and inorganic materials, and relying on the supramolecular halogen-bonding concept. The final goal will be to integrate the ultra-stable PSCs in flexible smart tags for communication and data processing in the IoT domains, thus having the chance to dramatically change the way how IoT is implemented around us.
3. LightningSense (Academy of Finland), 2018-2021
Academy of Finland has granted close to 1 million euros to the consortium headed by Prof. D. Lupo (Laboratory for Future Electronics). Other members of the consortium are Prof. A. Priimägi (PI), Dr. P. Vivo (co-PI), Prof. K. Halonen (PI, Aalto University).
The project titled ‘Energy autonomous wireless sensor systems powered by printed light energy harvesting and storage’ (LightningSense) aims at studying the individual components of future IoE systems: enhanced OPVs/PSCs for indoor light-harvesting, materials and architectures for printed supercapacitors leading to lower series resistance and self-discharge, and ultra-low power Si-based circuitry for sensing, data processing, and wireless communication. The final goal is also to integrate these components together into a flexible, lightweight, compact, energy-autonomous wireless IoT sensor.