Electroluminescence Imaging of Perovskite Solar Cells

Electroluminescence imaging has emerged as a powerful, non‐destructive diagnostic tool for perovskite solar cells, enabling direct visualisation of radiative recombination under forward bias. By mapping the spatial distribution of emitted photons, researchers can identify defects, inhomogeneities and local performance losses that are not apparent from conventional electrical measurements. This technique offers quantitative insight into contact uniformity, interface quality and carrier‐selective layer performance, thus guiding targeted improvements in device architecture and processing. As perovskite technology progresses towards large‐area modules and tandem architectures, electroluminescence imaging provides an essential means to ensure quality control at both laboratory and pilot scales, facilitating rapid feedback on fabrication protocols and material optimisation. The resulting images can be correlated with local open‐circuit voltage, series resistance and recombination pathways, linking microscale phenomena to macroscopic device metrics. Emerging integration with complementary modalities such as thermal mapping and photoluminescence imaging further enriches the dataset, offering a holistic view of electo‐optic and thermal behaviour under operating conditions.

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Electroluminescence Imaging of Perovskite Solar Cells publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electroluminescence imaging of perovskite solar cells across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electroluminescence imaging: A technique in which a solar cell is forward‐biased to stimulate photon emission, mapping radiative recombination across the device.

Photoluminescence imaging: An optical method that uses external light excitation to induce emission, revealing carrier‐lifetime variations and non‐radiative losses.

Lock‐in thermography: A thermal imaging method employing modulated heating and phase‐sensitive detection to map local heat generation linked to electrical or optical stimuli.

Heterojunction: The interface between two dissimilar semiconductor materials or layers where charge separation and extraction occur.

Non‐radiative recombination: The process by which charge carriers recombine without emitting photons, often at defect sites, reducing device efficiency.

References

1. Understanding Contact Nonuniformities at Interfaces in Perovskite Silicon Tandem Solar Cells Using Luminescence Imaging, Lock‐In Thermography, and 2D/3D Simulations. Solar RRL (2023).
2. Visualization of defects in perovskite solar cells using electroluminescence, photoluminescence, and thermal imaging methods. Applied Physics Express (2025).