German research laboratory, the Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH), has included the calibration of large-area perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells at its Calibration and Test Center (CalTeC).
The expansion will provide calibration services for solar cells up to the G12 (210×210 mm) wafer format and addresses the growing demand for reliable efficiency measurements as tandem PV technologies move from laboratory research toward commercial applications.
Try Premium for just $1
- Full premium access for the first month at only $1
- Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
- Cancel anytime during the trial period
Premium Benefits
- Expert industry analysis and interviews
- Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
- Exclusive event discounts
Or get the full Premium subscription right away
Or continue reading this article for free
Presented last month during the tandemPV Workshop in Berlin, Germany, the expanded measurement addresses several critical aspects of tandem cell characteristics, said ISFH. These include:
- Subcell-specific spectral adjustment and accurate spectral mismatch correction
- Compensation for shading effects caused by contacting bars
- Correction for irradiance non-uniformity across large-area devices
- Homogeneous temperature control
- Measurement protocols designed to account for device metastability
“Tandem solar cells are much more complex than conventional silicon cells. Specialised calibration is needed to ensure that reported efficiencies are accurate, comparable, and trusted by researchers, manufacturers, and investors,” said Karsten Bothe, head of the ISFH CalTeC solar cell calibration laboratory.
“We provide the measurement confidence needed to move tandem photovoltaics from laboratory breakthroughs to commercial products.”
According to the German laboratory, a key challenge for the tandem silicon solar cells is the transition from laboratory-scale devices of approximately 1 cm2 to wafer-scale devices with active areas of up to G12.
“Achieving this transition requires not only advances in device fabrication but also calibration methodologies that address the specific metrological requirements of tandem photovoltaics,” added ISFH CalTec.
Moreover, as perovskite tandem solar PV technology continues its transition from laboratory research to industrial manufacturing, robust and standardised calibration procedures will play an increasingly important role, according to ISFH CalTec. These provide a basis for comparable measurement results, confidence in reported performance data and support the commercialisation of high efficiency tandem solar cells globally.
Since 2016, the ISFH CalTec has been accredited for the calibration of wafer-based silicon solar cells and has since provided calibration services to over 70 companies from 20 countries.
The laboratory has also been authorised to independently verify PV conversion efficiencies since 2018 and has since verified 27 world-record silicon solar cell efficiencies, including from Trinasolar, LONGi and Jinkosolar among others.
