Plated copper electrodes for two-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells

Electroplated copper electrodes are manufactured for the first time on 22.5 cm2 two-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. This study demonstrates that a 10 nm thin atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3 masking layer on ITO enables the tandem cells to withstand the chemistry of the wet chemical metallization process. Our approach uses a screen-printed Ag seed-layer on ITO for homogeneous electroplating current distribution and a photoconversion efficiency up to ≈ 15% is reached. To avoid the use of any metal seed-layer on ITO, we also demonstrate a light-induced Cu plating (LIP) process. This further validates the presence of an electrical contact between the Cu electrode and both perovskite and Si cells. Finally, progress with the transfer of the native oxide barrier layer for selective electroplating (NOBLE) metallization to bifacial perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells is presented. [Display omitted] •Electroplated Cu contacts are demonstrated for the 1st time on two-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells.•Stable PCE with Voc up to 1764 mV confirms that PK/Si tandem solar cells can withstand the wet chemical plating process•Cu deposited by light-induced plating is also experimentally shown on PK/Si tandem solar cells.•Advances with the transfer of the NOBLE metallization to bifacial PK/Si tandem solar cells are presented.