Microscopic Analysis of Heat and Light Induced Degradation in Evaporated Perovskite Films
Klara Kiselman a, Kári Sveinbjörnsson b, Chiara Mello c, Tommaso Ramondi c, Jean-François Guillemoles c, Olivier Donzel-Gargand a, Priyabrata Sadhukan d, Erik Johannson d, Stefania Cacovich c, Erik Wallin b, Ellen Moons e, Marika Edoff a
a Division of Solar Cell Technology, Department of Material Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
b First Solar European Technology Center, Uppsala, Sweden
c Institut Photovoltaïque d’Ile-de-France (IPVF), UMR 9006, CNRS, Ecóle Polytechnique, IP Paris, Chimie Paristech, PSL, 91120 Palaiseau, France
d Division of Physical chemistry, Department of Chemistry - Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
e Department of Engineering and Physics, Karlstad university, Karlstad, Sweden.
Proceedings of MATSUS Spring 2026 Conference (MATSUSSpring26)
G3 Stability Challenges and Solutions in metal halide Perovskites materials
Barcelona, Spain, 2026 March 23rd - 27th
Organizers: Andres Fabian Gualdron Reyes, Sofia Masi and Teresa S. Ripolles
Oral, Klara Kiselman, presentation 504
Publication date: 15th December 2025

As perovskite solar cells approach maturity, commercially viable production processes are desirable but record efficiency perovskite solar cells from research labs are predominantly deposited by non-scalable methods [1]. In addition to scalability, stability is a challenge [2]. Therefore, this study analyses the thermal and photothermal stability of co-evaporated (FA0.82,Cs0.18)Pb(I0.89,Br0.11)3 perovskite films through several imaging and characterisation methods. Samples have been encapsulated to avoid excessive exposure to atmosphere. Since the films are deposited on Indium tin oxide/Me-4PACz, the crystallisation and deposition procedures mimic those in full stack solar cells. The effect of 1000 hours degradation in 85°C, with or without light exposure, is investigated with optical microscopy, hyperspectral and normal photoluminescence imaging, X-ray diffraction, time-resolved fluorescence imaging and electron microscopy. As-deposited films are found to have both micro-meter sized optically transparent clusters, in addition to red-shifted bright photoluminescence spots with lower bandgap, both possibly caused by non-uniformities in elemental distribution due to a locally different substrate or spitting. While heat does not cause any significant growth of these clusters, the grain size of the heated sample is substantially reduced. The quasi-Fermi level splitting is, however, unaffected by the heating, while the lifetime is cut by half, compared to the non-heated references. The observation of reduced grain size is in conflict with other studies [3] and may point to different degradation patterns in vacuum processed compared to solution processed perovskite solar cells. In agreement with [3], we find that the combination of heat and light is detrimental with severe cation, but in our case also halide segregation. The Me-4PACz layer is still intact and some cubic and photoactive perovskite is still present, although with reduced quality. Transparent patches of δ-CsPb(I,Br)3 perovskite are identified by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping and UV-vis spectroscopy in the heated-light soaked samples. Identification of other chemical compounds is not feasiable due to complexity of the segregation. We have evidenced a clear difference in degradation mechanisms between light and heat exposed samples and those kept in the dark, while the mechanisms themselves have not yet been elucidated at this point. 

Funding: Swedish Energy Agency Solar Energy Research Center Sweden, Project no 52693-1.

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