PV-lab

The laboratory of photovoltaics and thin-films electronics (PV-lab) of IEM, founded in 1984 by Prof. Arvind Shah and headed by Prof. Christophe Ballif since 2004, has pioneered several new processes for the preparation of thin-film silicon, such as the introduction of very high frequency (VHF) plasma deposition and microcrystalline silicon as an efficient photovoltaic material, and simple processing of heterojunction crystalline cells. Current activities of the laboratory cover a broad spectrum, ranging from fundamental research to industrial technology transfer. The lab masters processes of device fabrication for a wide variety of transparent conductive oxides, thin-film solar cells and high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells. It also has expertise for specialty detectors. It has full facilities for packaging of PV products. It has been designated as a center of national importance by the Swiss Federal Office for Energy.

PV-lab is a founding partner of the CSEM PV-center, which started operation in 2013 with a focus on technology transfer, and industrialisation of technologies.

LATEST NEWS

© 2024 Christof Bucher

Swiss Photovoltaic conference in Lausanne: some highlights and award!

— Swiss Photovoltaic conference in Lausanne: some highlights and best Poster Award for Hugo Quest from PV-Lab & 3S!

© 2024 EPFL

Proceedings of 11th Metallization and Interconnection Workshop

— “Proceedings of the 11th Metallization and Interconnection Workshop for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells 2023 hosted by EPFL PVLab & CSEM in Neuchatel is freshly published online as a special issue in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. The two days’ of the 11th edition of the workshop were a success with more than 100 specialists coming from 17 countries.“

© 2024 AM

Paper alert – Boosting the performance and lifetime of tandems !

— PV-Lab is happy to share that our latest paper "A Universal Perovskite/C60 Interface Modification via Atomic Layer Deposited Aluminum Oxide for Perovskite Solar Cells and Perovskite–Silicon Tandems" has been published in Advanced Materials !

© 2024, Antonin Faes

PVinMotion Conference 2024 in Neuchâtel

— Successful start of PV in motion conference in Neuchâtel, co-organised by EPFL and CSEM. More than 100 specialists of PV related mobility, from solar vehicle to bi-directional charging, discuss the future of PV-related mobility. The conference is chaired by Dr. Antonin Faes, team leader for PV modules at the PV-lab, and focus area manager for lightweight and integrated products at CSEM.

© 2024 EPFL

Congratulations to all new Doctors of the PV-lab!

— 5 PhD students from PV-Lab successfully defended their thesis recently. Congratulations to all new Doctors of PV-Lab and good luck in their future adventures!

© 2024 AEM

Paper alert – Pizza Oven Processing of Organohalide Perovskites !

— PV-Lab is happy to share that our latest paper "Pizza Oven Processing of Organohalide Perovskites (POPOP): A Simple, Versatile and Efficient Vapor Deposition Method " has been published in Advanced Energy Materials !

© 2023 EPFL

Asea Brown Boveri Ltd. (ABB) Award – 2023 – Laurie-Lou Senaud

— Electrical Losses Mitigation in Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells EPFL thesis n°8648 Thesis director: Prof. Ch. Ballif

© 2023 Microcity

Podcast – All you need to know about solar and energy transition !

— Everything you need to know about solar and energy transition: check the podcast of Christophe Ballif interviewed A la pointe du solaire photovoltaïque – Exergie | Podcast on Spotify by Francesco Contino of UC Louvain… All on its Exergie Podcast series on Exergie | Podcast on Spotify 

© 2023 Elsevier

Paper alert – Our work on high temperature passivating contacts !

— PV-Lab is happy to share that our latest paper "Understanding and mitigating resistive losses in fired passivating contacts: Role of the interfaces and optimization of the thermal budget" has been published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

© 2023 EPFL

The carbon intensity of integrated photovoltaics

— “Building (and Infrastructure) Integrated Photovoltaics: a positive carbon balance for most situations of solar architecture! Nearly everywhere in Europe!”

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

The effect of partial shading on the reliability of photovoltaic modules in the built-environment

E. Ozkalay; F. Valoti; M. Caccivio; A. Virtuani; G. Friesen et al. 

Epj Photovoltaics. 2024-02-28. Vol. 15, p. 7. DOI : 10.1051/epjpv/2024001.

Interactions between aluminium and fired passivating contacts during fire-through metallization (vol 249, 112051, 2023)

S. Libraro; M. Lehmann; J. J. D. Leon; C. Allebe; A. Descoeudres et al. 

Solar Energy Materials And Solar Cells. 2024-02-06. Vol. 267, p. 112722. DOI : 10.1016/j.solmat.2024.112722.

Pizza Oven Processing of Organohalide Perovskites (POPOP): A Simple, Versatile and Efficient Vapor Deposition Method

Q. J-M. A. Guesnay; F. Sahli; K. Artuk; D. Turkay; A. G. Kuba et al. 

Advanced Energy Materials. 2024-02-02. DOI : 10.1002/aenm.202303423.

A comprehensive physical model for the sensitivity of silicon heterojunction photovoltaic modules to water ingress

L. Gnocchi; O. A. Arruti; C. Ballif; A. Virtuani 

Cell Reports Physical Science. 2024-01-17. Vol. 5, num. 1, p. 101751. DOI : 10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101751.

Font Side Solutions for c-Si Solar Cells with High-Temperature Passivating Contacts

E. Genç / F-J. Haug; C. Ballif (Dir.)  

Lausanne, EPFL, 2024. 

Microstructural and electrical characterization of high temperature passivating contacts for silicon solar cells

S. Libraro / A. Hessler-Wyser; F-J. Haug (Dir.)  

Lausanne, EPFL, 2024. 

Identification and Mitigation of Degradation Mechanisms Induced by Heat and Light in NiOx-based Perovskite Solar Cells

M. S. M. Dussouillez / C. Ballif; A. Paracchino (Dir.)  

Lausanne, EPFL, 2024. 

Advanced Manufacturing and Characterization of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Modules

A. Borja Block / C. Ballif; A. Faes (Dir.)  

Lausanne, EPFL, 2024. 

Towards a quantification of thermal and thermomechanical stress for modules in building-integrated photovoltaics configurations

H. Quest; A. W. Fairbrother; C. Ballif; A. Virtuani 

Progress In Photovoltaics. 2023-12-26. DOI : 10.1002/pip.3762.

Potential-induced degradation in bifacial silicon heterojunction solar modules: Insights and mitigation strategies

O. Arriaga Arruti; L. Gnocchi; Q. Jeangros; C. Ballif; A. Virtuani 

Progress In Photovoltaics. 2023-12-25. DOI : 10.1002/pip.3765.