Pioneering solar cell research with FOM Technologies’ slot-die coaters

We had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Janardan Dagar, a Staff Scientist in the Eva Unger Group at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin. Dagar’s work focuses on managing research teams that work on advancing solar cell technology, and slot-die coating plays a crucial role in these research studies. He shared insights from his journey in solar research, his hands-on experience with slot-die coating, and the role of FOM Technologies’ equipment in pushing the boundaries of solar technology.

Janardan Dagar began his research journey with the Eva Unger group in 2018 as a postdoctoral researcher, working on FOM Technologies’ slot-die coater. Reflecting on that time, he shared, “The main goal was to fabricate prototypes for solar cells that could work on both small and large areas.” Over the years, Dagar has progressed to lead a team of seven to eight scientists, all working on slot-die coating projects focused on innovative applications like semitransparent mini-modules, flexible solar cells, and tandem solar cells.

“Now, I coordinate our team’s efforts and manage a solar cell baseline to ensure precise control over the fabrication parameters,” he explained. “Here, consistency is really the key parameter to producing reproducible mini-module devices that meet the quality standards we need.”

The impact of FOM’s slot-die coating technology is evident in several high-profile research publications to which Janardan Dagar is connected. These are showcasing groundbreaking advancements in photovoltaics.

In Solar Energy, in an article titled Slot-die coating of niobium pentoxide applied as electron transport layer for perovskite solar cells (DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2024.08.009), the group investigates the development of scalable ink formulations for perovskite solar cells. The study focuses on optimizing solvent systems and additives to enhance film uniformity and device performance. Using FOM’s slot-die coaters, the team achieved highly reproducible coating results, demonstrating the potential for large-scale manufacturing of perovskite solar cells.

A research article titled Ink Design Enabling Slot-Die Coated Perovskite Solar Cells with >22% Power Conversion Efficiency, Micro-Modules, and 1 Year of Outdoor Performance Evaluation was published in Advanced Energy Materials (DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202203898), the researchers delve into the integration of perovskite and silicon in 4-terminal tandem photovoltaic systems. The study emphasizes the importance of interface engineering and scalable fabrication techniques, with FOM’s slot-die coaters enabling precise deposition of multi-layered structures. This work provides a pathway to significantly improve the efficiency and stability of tandem solar cells.

Another study in Advanced Energy Materials with the title 20.8% Slot-Die Coated MAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells by Optimal DMSO-Content and Age of 2-ME Based Precursor Inks (DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202003460) explores the stability of perovskite solar cells under various environmental conditions. The team employs slot-die coating to produce large-area devices and systematically tests their performance over time. The study highlights how scalable techniques can be used to assess and improve the long-term reliability of perovskite photovoltaics, a crucial step for commercial viability.

In ACS Energy Letters published article Slot-Die Coated Triple-Halide Perovskites for Efficient and Scalable Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells (DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.2c01506), the research group focuses on high-throughput experimentation for rapid optimization of perovskite solar cell parameters. This research showcases the versatility of FOM’s slot-die coaters in supporting automated workflows for ink and process optimization. The ability to quickly iterate and analyze multiple configurations accelerates the discovery of high-performance materials.

These publications collectively highlight the essential role of FOM’s slot-die coating technology in driving innovation across various aspects of perovskite solar cell research. From ink development and device scaling to stability testing and tandem architectures, FOM’s precision and scalability empower researchers to tackle the most pressing challenges in photovoltaics.

Reflecting on his experience, Janardan Dagar is clear in his endorsement of FOM Technologies’ slot-die coaters: “I highly recommend FOM’s instruments. They are extremely precise and have consistently delivered the optimal results we aim for in our research. The controlled processes that this machine provides have been invaluable to our work.”

Dagar’s work exemplifies the impact of slot-die coating in advancing solar cell technology. His experience highlights how FOM Technologies’ instruments are enabling scientists to take important steps toward scalable, commercially viable solar energy solutions. As his team continues to innovate and push the boundaries of solar technology, slot-die coating remains a central tool in their mission to create a sustainable energy future.

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is home to two advanced FOM slot-die coating machines—the dual-bridge FOM alphaSC and the FOM vectorSC—which play a pivotal role in the innovative research led by the Eva Unger Group. Prof. Dr. Eva Unger and her team focus on optimizing inks and scalable processing techniques, such as slot-die coating and inkjet printing, to develop solution-based perovskite photovoltaics.

Their mission includes creating semi-transparent perovskite PV prototypes for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and 4-terminal tandem PV systems—critical innovations driving the transition to more sustainable energy solutions.

FOM Technologies is proud to support this transformative research, equipping Prof. Unger’s team with the tools to advance scalable, efficient, and versatile PV technologies. Together, we are shaping a future where renewable energy integration is both seamless and impactful.

Our business is built on believing in the vast benefits, reproducibility, and scale-up possibilities of slot-die coating, whether for solar photovoltaics, batteries, Power to X, or whatever you’re working on. Please reach out to us if we can help scale up your research.

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