Perovskite Solar Cell Patents

Perovskite solar patents cover absorber composition (mixed-cation mixed-halide) and crystallization innovations; tandem perovskite-on-silicon and all-perovskite stack innovations; charge-transport-layer and interface passivation innovations; and encapsulation, stability, and large-area deposition innovations — with IP held by tandem developers, flexible-module startups, and silicon PV incumbents. MAJOR PEROVSKITE PATENT HOLDERS: OXFORD PV (300+): 2-terminal monolithic tandem perovskite-on-silicon, 28.6% certified cell efficiency, formamidinium-cesium FA/Cs mixed-cation absorber, passivated silicon heterojunction bottom cell, textured-silicon conformal perovskite, Brandenburg (Germany) pilot line ~100–250 MW, residential/utility M10/M6 wafer format. SAULE TECHNOLOGIES (100+): inkjet-printed perovskite on flexible PET/PEN substrate, low-light indoor IoT/electronic-shelf-label modules, roll-to-roll sheet-to-sheet, building-integrated BIPV facade. MICROQUANTA SEMICONDUCTOR (200+): perovskite mini-module 21.8% stabilized certified, blade-coating large area, glass-glass module. GCL / UtmoLight / Renshine (300+): commercial-size perovskite module slot-die, single-junction and all-perovskite tandem. Also: Hanwha Q-CELLS, LONGi, Trinasolar (silicon incumbents filing tandem IP), Swift Solar (all-perovskite tandem), Tandem PV, Caelux (perovskite-glass over silicon).

Mixed-cation mixed-halide absorber compositions tuning bandgap and phase stability; 2-terminal and 4-terminal tandem stack and recombination-layer innovations; electron/hole transport layer and interface passivation innovations; and anti-solvent-free scalable crystallization innovations represent core perovskite patent domains. ABSORBER PATENTS: methylammonium lead iodide MAPbI3 (1.55 eV) baseline; formamidinium FAPbI3 (1.48 eV) higher thermal stability but α↔δ phase issue; mixed FA/MA/Cs triple-cation and FA/Cs double-cation for black-phase stabilization; mixed halide I/Br bandgap tuning to ~1.68 eV for tandem top cell; 2D/3D Ruddlesden-Popper passivation layers; additive engineering (MACl, methylammonium chloride; potassium passivation of halide vacancies). TANDEM PATENTS: 2-terminal monolithic with recombination junction (ITO/nc-Si:H tunnel); 4-terminal mechanically stacked (independent current); all-perovskite tandem (wide-gap 1.8 eV + narrow-gap tin-lead 1.25 eV); textured-silicon conformal coating; transparent electrode sputter-damage buffer (SnO2/MgF2). TRANSPORT-LAYER PATENTS: electron transport SnO2 / TiO2 / C60; hole transport spiro-OMeTAD (with LiTFSI/tBP dopants), PTAA, NiOx, self-assembled monolayers SAM (2PACz, MeO-2PACz); inverted p-i-n vs. regular n-i-p architecture; interface passivation (phenethylammonium iodide PEAI, octylammonium). DEPOSITION PATENTS: anti-solvent one-step spin (lab); scalable slot-die, blade-coating, inkjet, vacuum co-evaporation, two-step sequential; gas-quench and vacuum-flash crystallization for large-area uniformity.

Operational and thermal stability innovations addressing moisture, oxygen, ion migration, and light-soaking; hermetic encapsulation and edge-seal innovations; lead-sequestration and bifacial innovations; and reproducible large-area yield innovations represent additional perovskite patent domains. STABILITY PATENTS: ISOS protocol stability testing (ISOS-L light-soak, ISOS-D dark, ISOS-T thermal cycling -40/85°C, ISOS-LC); T80/T90 lifetime metrics; ion-migration suppression via grain-boundary passivation and 2D capping; reverse-bias and hot-spot tolerance; bypass-diode integration; UV stability via UV-cut or SnO2 vs. TiO2 (TiO2 photocatalytic degradation). ENCAPSULATION PATENTS: glass-glass with edge sealant (butyl/polyisobutylene PIB), low-temperature lamination (perovskite degrades >150°C), desiccant-integrated edge seal, atomic-layer-deposition Al2O3 moisture barrier, water-vapor transmission rate WVTR <10⁻⁴ g/m²/day; flexible barrier films for Saule-type modules. LEAD-MANAGEMENT PATENTS: lead-sequestration coatings (phosphonic/cation-exchange resin), on-device Pb capture, RoHS-exemption strategy. MANUFACTURING PATENTS: roll-to-roll R2R web coating, sheet-to-sheet, laser P1/P2/P3 scribing for monolithic interconnect, aperture-area vs. active-area certification, module 30×30 cm to 60×120 cm scale-up, yield and reproducibility statistical control.

Perovskite startup IP strategy must navigate Oxford PV tandem perovskite-on-silicon and passivation patents (300+), silicon incumbents (LONGi, Trinasolar, Hanwha) filing defensive tandem IP, EPFL/Oxford/NREL foundational academic perovskite patents (often licensable), and stability/encapsulation patents from module makers; understand that Oxford PV holds the most significant 2-terminal monolithic perovskite-silicon tandem and silicon-texture-conformal IP, that core absorber compositions (MAPbI3, basic FA/Cs) are heavily published/prior-art (limiting broad composition claims), and that the genuine whitespace is in STABILITY and SCALE not basic device physics; identify whitespace in novel passivation chemistries (specific 2D/SAM molecules with measured Voc gain), all-perovskite tandem with stable tin-lead narrow-gap (the hardest unsolved problem), encapsulation achieving certified IEC 61215 damp-heat 1000h, and lead-free or lead-sequestered chemistries. PEROVSKITE STARTUP IP STRATEGY: UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE — OXFORD PV TANDEM-ON-SILICON AND ACADEMIC ABSORBER PRIOR ART DOMINATE: Oxford PV's monolithic tandem + conformal-texture patents and the dense academic prior art on absorber compositions mean new entrants need novel INTERFACE/STABILITY IP, not new perovskite formulas; STABILITY + ENCAPSULATION ARE THE HIGHEST-VALUE LEAST-CONSOLIDATED IP: a perovskite module passing IEC 61215/61730 damp-heat (85°C/85% RH, 1000h, <5% degradation) with a novel encapsulation or self-healing chemistry is commercially decisive and patentable; ALL-PEROVSKITE TANDEM (Pb-Sn narrow gap) IS OPEN WHITESPACE: tin-lead 1.25 eV oxidation (Sn²⁺→Sn⁴⁺) is the unsolved barrier — a stable reducing-additive or encapsulation route is high-value; WHEN TO PATENT: NOVEL STRUCTURE WITH MEASURED EFFICIENCY + STABILITY: novel passivation/encapsulation/tandem (composition + architecture + certified PCE % + ISOS/IEC stability T80 hours + area cm²) vs. Oxford PV 28.6% tandem cell or Microquanta 21.8% module baseline — measured certified PCE, area, and IEC-protocol stability lifetime are the critical perovskite IP metrics; KEY FTO CHECKLIST: Oxford PV 2-terminal monolithic perovskite-silicon 28.6% FA/Cs textured-conformal recombination junction; spiro-OMeTAD doped HTL; SnO2/SAM (2PACz) transport; 2D PEAI passivation; slot-die/blade/inkjet/co-evaporation deposition; glass-glass PIB edge seal ALD Al2O3 barrier; all-perovskite Pb-Sn 1.25 eV; ISOS-L/D/T IEC 61215 damp-heat 1000h; lead-sequestration RoHS.