An Analysis of the Core Application Scenarios of Nitrogen Generators in Perovskite Tandem Solar Cell Production

Perovskite tandem solar cells, with their exceptionally high power conversion efficiency, have emerged as a central pillar in the industrial upgrading of photovoltaics. However, perovskite materials exhibit extreme sensitivity to moisture and oxygen; upon exposure to air, they readily decompose, giving rise to process‑induced defects that directly compromise cell efficiency and stability. High‑purity nitrogen, serving as an inert protective gas, is an indispensable process medium in perovskite‑cell manufacturing, while nitrogen generators—key on‑site nitrogen‑supply equipment—play a critical role across multiple pivotal production steps. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the core application scenarios for nitrogen generators in the mass production of perovskite tandem solar cells.

I. Gas Supply for Perovskite Thin-Film Processing in a Glovebox

This is the nitrogen generator, employed across various application scenarios in perovskite tandem‑cell manufacturing. The precise fabrication of the light‑absorbing top layer of the perovskite cell must be carried out entirely within a sealed, low‑water‑and‑oxygen environment; without a continuously supplied nitrogen stream from an external nitrogen generator, the glovebox cannot operate normally. The high‑purity nitrogen produced by the generator continuously displaces the air inside the glovebox, maintaining water and oxygen levels below 10 ppm and establishing an inert, anhydrous, and anaerobic production atmosphere.

All core film‑forming processes—including precursor solution preparation, spin coating on substrates, slot‑die coating, anti‑solvent quenching, low‑temperature annealing for crystallization, and the temporary storage and transfer of semi‑finished films—are carried out in a high‑purity nitrogen atmosphere supplied by a nitrogen generator. Meanwhile, continuous nitrogen circulation efficiently removes organic solvent vapors from the chamber, preventing impurity contamination of the film and ensuring, at the source, both the quality of the perovskite film and its crystalline orderliness.

II. Air Purging and Pressure Holding in the Vacuum Process Chamber

Precision equipment used in the production of perovskite tandem solar cells—such as evaporation deposition systems, ALD atomic layer deposition tools, and solvent‑extraction vacuum chambers—all require nitrogen generators to supply process gases. During chamber opening for substrate handling and before and after routine maintenance, high‑purity nitrogen is employed to repeatedly purge the chamber interior, thoroughly removing residual moisture and oxygen and preventing atmospheric contamination from compromising device interfaces.

During equipment standby and inter‑process idle periods, the nitrogen generator continuously supplies nitrogen to maintain a slight positive pressure within the chamber, effectively preventing ambient air from infiltrating. This ensures consistent cleanliness inside the vacuum chamber, thereby avoiding defects such as oxidation and pinholes in subsequent coating and deposition processes and guaranteeing the fabrication accuracy of the multilayer films in stacked solar cells.

III. Purging and Crystallization Assistance in Perovskite Wet-Film Formation

After the perovskite precursor solution is coated, a uniform wet film forms. At this stage, a nitrogen generator supplies stable, clean, high-purity nitrogen for directional purging. This step efficiently and evenly removes residual organic solvents such as DMF and DMSO from the film surface, precisely controlling the solvent evaporation rate and preventing quality issues—such as film wrinkling, uneven thickness, and localized white spots—that can arise from non-uniform solvent evaporation.

Meanwhile, during the annealing and crystallization process, the nitrogen supplied by the nitrogen generator creates an inert annealing atmosphere, preventing oxidation of the material at high temperatures, stabilizing the growth rate of perovskite crystals, and significantly enhancing both film density and overall uniformity. This effectively improves the battery’s power conversion efficiency and batch-to-batch production consistency.

4. Pre-treatment of the silicon substrate: clean and dry by blowing.

Before coating, the crystalline silicon substrate of perovskite tandem solar cells undergoes pre‑treatment steps such as cleaning and solvent immersion, leaving residual water stains and cleaning solvents on the surface. High‑pressure, high‑purity nitrogen generated by a nitrogen generator can be used to purge and dry the substrate, thoroughly removing surface contaminants and moisture.

Compared with conventional air-drying, the inert, impurity-free nature of nitrogen prevents secondary contamination of the crystalline silicon substrate, ensuring a clean and dry surface. This provides an excellent interfacial foundation for subsequent perovskite film lamination and layer growth, effectively reducing interfacial defects and enhancing the interlayer adhesion stability of tandem solar cells.

V. Oxidation-Resistant Protection During Laser Patterning Processes

In precision processes such as patterning the tunnel junctions of stacked batteries and laser scribing of electrodes, high‑temperature laser operations can render the material’s surface highly reactive, making it prone to oxidation and carbonization upon exposure to oxygen and moisture in the air, thereby degrading the film structure and electrical conductivity. Nitrogen generators can supply high‑purity nitrogen in real time, creating a localized inert protective gas layer within the laser‑processing zone.

This method effectively isolates the material from air, suppresses high-temperature oxidation and carbonization, ensures that laser‑etched lines are smooth with defect‑free edges, maintains the battery’s electrical conductivity and overall process accuracy, and improves the yield of good‑quality products.

VI. Encapsulation with Dehumidification and Nitrogen-Blanketing Preservation of Semi-Finished Products

Before laminating and encapsulating the battery module, the nitrogen generator purges the encapsulation chamber with nitrogen to remove air and moisture, thereby reducing humidity and oxygen levels in the encapsulation environment. This prevents moisture and oxygen from becoming trapped inside the module, slows down subsequent aging and degradation, and significantly enhances the long-term service life and outdoor stability of stacked‑cell batteries.

Meanwhile, throughout the entire production process—covering semi‑finished substrates, perovskite precursor materials, and core consumables—the products must be stored under a micro‑positive‑pressure nitrogen atmosphere provided by a nitrogen generator, thereby preventing raw material degradation, oxidation, and moisture absorption of semi‑finished components, and ensuring process stability across the entire production chain.

VII. Industrial Application Value of Nitrogen Generators

Unlike conventional crystalline silicon cell manufacturing, perovskite tandem solar cells are extremely sensitive to moisture and oxygen; nitrogen is no longer a secondary auxiliary gas but an essential process medium. As a core piece of equipment for mass‑production lines, nitrogen generators provide a continuous, stable supply of high‑purity nitrogen on site, supporting the entire process—from perovskite film deposition and vacuum operations to surface treatment, precision machining, and encapsulation and storage.

A stable nitrogen supply can effectively reduce defects in the battery manufacturing process, enhance photoelectric conversion efficiency, and ensure batch-to-batch consistency of the product, making it a critical piece of equipment for achieving large-scale, industrial‑grade mass production of perovskite tandem solar cells.