Accelerating Emerging Solar Material Development with AMADAP
Jiyun has written a comprehensive review that summarizes our decade-long (2014-2024) efforts on automation in emerging photovoltaic technologies which is published by Accounts of Chemical Research. In the pursuit of mitigating climate change through cleaner energy sources, the development of novel photovoltaic materials has become a focal point of scientific research. To support this, automated and robot-assisted laboratories, referred to as Materials Acceleration Platforms (MAPs) and Device Acceleration Platforms (DAPs), are improving the process of discovering and optimizing new materials. These platforms use advanced artificial intelligence to help reduce the traditional timelines for material and device development from decades to a few years, enhancing the efficiency of the design and optimization processes.
The review highlights our recent automation efforts for perovskite and organic solar cells technologies . We’ve set up specialized platforms that not only accelerate the synthesis and testing of new materials but also fine-tune the manufacturing processes to enhance the devices’ performance and stability. Microwave-assisted synthesis platform and a robotic pipetting system designed to speed up the discovery of organic interface materials and new semiconductors was introduced. Additionally, SPINBOT system optimizes complex device architectures through precise spin-coating techniques, and AMANDA operates fully autonomously to refine device parameters and performance.
Looking ahead, the integration of MAPs with DAPs into a single automated and autonomous platform, the AMADAP, holds promising potential. This setup aims to create a digital twin of the technology, enabling predictive optimization of materials and processes tailored to specific applications. This approach not only supports the diversification of photovoltaic materials beyond the traditional silicon but also enhances the resilience and competitiveness of the solar industry.