Method to Study Potential-Induced Degradation of Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules in an Inert Environment

Abstract

The efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is advancing rapidly, yet their sensitivity to ambient conditions poses challenges. An additional degradation mechanism, potential-induced degradation (PID), can emerge during field operation, but the understanding of PID within perovskite devices is limited. To exclude environmental stressors, this study is conducted in an inert environment at room temperature. PSCs and mini-modules are subjected to a 324 h PID stress test at −1000 V, revealing relative efficiency losses of around 29% and 24% for the PSCs and mini-modules, respectively, exposing subtle degradation differences. These degradation rates are notably lower than reported in the literature, suggesting possible additional degradation pathways arising from suboptimal encapsulation combined with ambient conditions. Subsequently, half of the stressed samples are subject to +1000 V for 523 h and recover to a reduced efficiency loss of 15% and 7.7% for the PSCs and module, respectively. In contrast, storing the stressed samples on the shelf increased the efficiency losses to 32% (PSCs) and 41% (module). Therefore, the post-PID rates differ significantly between both groups, whereas both effects of voltage recovery and progressed degradation are more pronounced in modules compared to cells. This study contributes to a robust method for PID research.