The Solar Energy for Net Zero is pleased to invite you to the next session of the Advanced Solar Energy Seminar Series with Dr. David S. Ginger from the University of Washington.
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM (PDT)
In-Person Locations:
UBC Vancouver: CEME 1023
UBC Okanagan: EME 4116
Talk Title:
Tailored Interfaces for Operational Stability in Halide Perovskite Solar Cells
Abstract:
Halide perovskite semiconductors are being commercialized for solar energy harvesting by companies around the world. As these technologies cross from the laboratory to the field, researchers are shifting focus from performance to stability. One topic that emerges at the systems level is reverse bias stability. In this talk I will review issues related to perovskite photovoltaics, with an emphasis on understanding and improving stability under both reverse bias stress and reverse current stress. I will discuss how engineering interfaces and device architecture can have a significant impact on the reverse bias behavior of perovskite solar cells. We show that by using a thicker conjugated polymer hole transport layer and a more electrochemically stable back electrode, we can realize average breakdown voltages exceeding -15 V, comparable to those of silicon cells, demonstrating cells that can survive reverse bias under partial shading for hours at a time. We explore two pathways for cell failure under reverse bias stress and demonstrate that some cells can pass reverse current densities corresponding to those at the max power point without permanent damage. Finally, we explore metrology methods for characterizing both cells and modules that allow real-time analysis of failure modes under various stress conditions.
About the speaker:
Dr. David S. Ginger received his B.S. in Chemistry and Physics from Indiana University, and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cambridge. He performed postdoctoral research at Northwestern University and is currently the B. Seymour Rabinovitch Endowed Chair in Chemistry at the University of Washington, where he also serves as Chief Scientist of the UW Clean Energy Institute and Founding Director of the NSF Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand (IMOD). Ginger’s research uses advanced microscopy and spectroscopy to understand emerging semiconductor materials, with applications in solar energy, optoelectronics, quantum technologies, and neuromorphic computing. He is a Fellow of the AAAS and the Materials Research Society, a member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences, and has received honors including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the ACS Unilever Award, and The Research Corporate Award for Transformational Research and Excellence in Education. He currently serves as an Associate Editor of Chemical Reviews.