Laser manufacturing techniques for non-conformal circuitry, photovoltaics integration and perovskite synthesis

Abstract

This thesis examines the use of laser manufacturing techniques to fabricate copper electrode and perovskite materials. Laser beam technology known for its precision and flexibility, proves advantageous in fabricating complex and accurate structures, including 3D circuitry. This thesis focuses on four key areas of investigation. Firstly, the study investigates the use of laser for printing copper electrodes on a polycaprolactone (PCL) substrate, which is a biodegradable material of choice for green devices. A combination of chemical processes performed before and post laser treatment, results in cost-effective fabrication of conductive copper tracks on biodegradable surfaces without the need for expensive equipment or materials. This technology could find application in biodegradable sensors powered by non-toxic solar cells. Secondly, a low-power laser is employed to produce 3D printed circuits on non-planar surfaces by using laser diode integrated into a 5-axis machine. For this, a new technology has been developed to deposit the contacts on any material substrate. This enables the precise patterning on curved surfaces of a robot part, which allows the integration of perovskite solar cells into the robot surface. The performances of these circuits, along with the integrated solar cells, are conducted under solar simulator, revealing outstanding performance. The third area of investigation focuses on the solar cell manufacturing of cobalt-based hybrid organic inorganic perovskite (HOIP). A laser is utilized for patterning a fluorine tin oxide (FTO) substrate, then the substrate is used to deposit a Co-based lead-free perovskite solar cell. This study includes a comparative analysis of device performance and efficiency, by contrasting the configuration that includes the laser-Patterning substrate with another Co-based solar cell that follows the conventional architecture. Lastly, laser direct writing is employed to synthesize inorganic perovskite materials, such as CsPbBr3 nanoparticles. This study proposes a novel approach of in-situ synthesise perovskite nanocrystals through direct laser writing within polymer thin films. The process involves spin coating layers of different precursors (CsBr + PMMA), (PbBr2 + PMMA) ), followed by laser patterning. CsPbBr3 nanomaterials of varying sizes are obtained. The technique offers controlled fabrication of nanocrystals within a polymer matrix.