FURI | Spring 2024

Finite-element Thermomechanical Characterization of Thin Film Perovskites for Solar Energy Applications

The objective of this project is to determine whether a finite-element model can predict the threshold temperatures at which mechanical failure will occur in perovskite-silicon tandem modules. No such computational thermomechanical analysis has been performed on perovskite-silicon tandem modules. Previous literature has demonstrated the effectiveness of finite element methods in predicting cracking of perovskites under bending loads and for characterizing the thermomechanical behavior of solar photovoltaic devices. This work computationally synthesizes these two research areas to determine design criteria for mechanically robust next-generation tandem photovoltaic devices and modules