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Abstract: Perovskite solar cells are a rising photovoltaic technology with the potential to outperform current Silicon technology in both photovoltaic conversion and cost efficiency, making them a leading competitor for solar energy generation. The materials used in perovskite solar cells are highly amenable to solution processing, making it possible to fabricate these devices using roll-based manufacturing methods.

We introduce high-speed flexography as a means for fabricating perovskite solar cells, leveraging its unique ability to pattern over large areas to eliminate weak points that limit module stability and combining this with 2D scanning photoluminescence for rapid deposition and uniformity monitoring. Through precise ink engineering, we build an understanding of microscale film leveling to achieve high print uniformity, which is necessary for scaling perovskite manufacture to large areas. Using the fastest reported processing speed, we integrate these printed films into devices, improving photovoltaic conversion efficiency and reaching the highest performance yet reported for any roll-printed perovskite cells. Overall, this work accelerates upscaling of this technology and enhances performance of energy harvesting devices through scalable manufacturing.

Thesis Committee: William Scheideler (Chair), Jifeng Liu, Fiona Li, and Nakita Noel (University of Oxford)