On-Site Masterclasses (TBC)
There will be multiple parallel tracks of industry-led masterclasses on 21 October 2025, the day before the conference and exhibition, as part of the co-located show. Each 45-min masterclass will cover a technology or application in detail, offering an insightful blend of practical, technological and application knowledge.
These masterclasses will be delivered by industry experts & may involve live demonstrations. To give you a sense of the classes, please see our past programs here: Boston 2025, Berlin 2024, Boston 2024, Berlin 2023,
Eindhoven 2022.
See the topics of the classes you can expect in 2025.
All atendees will be able to move between tracks at the end of each class. The numbers in each class are limited to 50, and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. All masterclass presentations will be recorded and available along with the PDF slides for all attendees on-demand one week after the event.
Track 1
Track 2
Masterclasses | Track 3
9:00AM
Stable and efficient architectures for perovskite solar modules and tandems
imec
Tom Aernouts
The unprecedented fast rise of power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite-based solar cells (PSC) in recent years has created a vast worldwide research activity in this material class for photovoltaic and other opto-electronic applications. Several materials compositions and device architectures have been described and best reported PCE’s yield recently up to 27%. Also improved stability under specific conditions has been shown for specific architectures. Whereas all these results indicate a high potential for this novel solar technology, further steps must be taken to convince industry and even the whole PV community that perovskite-based photovoltaics can really emerge from the lab into industrially applicable solar module processing.
Similarly, the perovskite PV technology has boosted the tandem research whereby perovskite cells and modules are placed on top of other PV devices like Si or CIGS solar cells. Impressive lab scale results surpassing 35% PCE have been reported. New challenges arise when this needs to be upscaled to full wafer or module size.
The challenges ahead to scale up perovskite PV technology to full modules and large area tandems, suitable for long term outdoor use, will be discussed.
10:00 AM
Printing Perovskite Solar Modules using S2S and R2R processes
Swansea University
Trystan Watson
The transition of perovskite photovoltaics from the laboratory to industrial production relies on mastering scalable manufacturing techniques. While high-efficiency devices can be routinely achieved on small areas, the challenge is to reproduce these results over large substrates and continuous roll to roll processing. This masterclass will focus on the journey from sheet-to-sheet to roll-to-roll slot-die printing of perovskite solar cells and modules, with emphasis on the practical engineering issues encounterd including controlling film uniformity during coating and drying, achieving interconnection, mitigating defects that arise at larger scales, and managing environmental stability during processing. Drawing on recent examples from Swansea , I will discuss how these challenges are being addressed in practice and how they influence device behaviour.
11:00 AM
Slot Die Coating: Principles and Practice Towards Mass Production
Coatema
Matteo Iacomini
The basics of slot die coating:
-The different types of slot die coating and the application areas
-Theory of slot die coating
-Parameters to take into account, like cavity, rheology, surface tension and more (this is a longer part)
-Simulation of slot die coating
-How to find the coating window to operate a slot die
-Slot die Hands on (we would bring a few slot dies with us and our new tabletop coater #smallbutmighty and would do live coatings
-What else is important, like coating stand, integration in to a coating line
-Summary
-Q&A session
12:00 PM
Towards Non-Toxic and Sustainable Materials in Perovskite Photovoltaics
Fraunhofer IAP
Manuel Gensler / Fabian Loepthien
Perovskite solar cells offer a promising path toward affordable, efficient solar energy. To move from the lab to large-scale application, sustainability challenges must be addressed. This masterclass will explore how greener materials and processes can enhance the sustainability of perovskite solar cells. Specifically, it will focus on lead-free perovskites and environmentally friendly solvents. You will learn how innovations in sustainable materials can reduce environmental impact while maintaining high performance, enabling scalable and responsible production.
The session will also provide practical insights into the importance of encapsulation in enhancing the stability of perovskite solar cells. It will highlight strategies for integrating robust encapsulation methods that protect the cells from environmental factors while ensuring optimal performance.
Masterclasses | Track 1
Masterclasses | Track 2
Masterclasses | Track 3
Company Tours (TBC)
Click below to explore tours in past events
The tours are open to attendees of the morning masterclasses
Places on the tours will be allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis.
The tours will leave at 1.30pm and attendees should meet at the registration desk. Transportation will be provided and the tours are expected to return to the Estrel by 6.00pm.
Confirmed tours include Fraunhofer IZM, Fraunhofer IAP, Helmholz Zenrum Berlin, Adlershof Research Park, and others
Fraunhofer IZM
Conformal & Stretchable Electronics and E-Textiles
As part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Fraunhofer IZM specializes in applied and industrial contract research. Fraunhofer IZM’s focus is on packaging technology and the integration of multifunctional electronics into systems. Fraunhofer IZM was founded in 1993 and is today one of the global leaders in microelectronics and microsystems packaging. The focus lies mainly on material, process and substrate development, characterization and simulation, advanced system engineering, assembly and interconnection technologies and environmental engineering. Fraunhofer IZM is employing about 438 employees and graduate students with its main branch in Berlin. Together with its partner institute at the TU Berlin it is running a ~1000m2 clean room of with full thin film and packaging capabilities from 4” to 12” wafers.
The guided tour at Fraunhofer IZM is organised by the “System on Flex” working group, which advances flexible hybrid electronics, stretchable electronics, and electronic textiles by developing scalable manufacturing processes and transforming novel concepts into production-ready solutions.
Participants will be guided through our labs for flexible and stretchable electronics assembly and characterization. The Substrate Integration Lab focuses on the integration of microelectronics into flexible and stretchable substrates. This includes several processes such as lamination, laser patterning, mechanical drilling and milling, thermoforming, and various types of inspection and qualification tools. The Mechanical Testing Lab enables the customization of standardized test methods for specific applications and is used to characterize the electrical and mechanical properties of devices as well as their lifetime. Furthermore, in combination with our Textile Lab, we will provide an overview of our in-house developed AI-based non-invasive system for monitoring cardiovascular insufficiency by integrating bioimpedance spectroscopy and other sensor technologies into smart textiles.
Fraunhofer IAP
Insights into “functional polymer systems”, “biopolymers” and “polymeric materials and composites".
As part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Fraunhofer IAP in Potsdam is developing future-oriented solutions all along the polymer and nanomaterial value chain to support customers in their transition towards sustainable materials, processes, and business models. The institute specializes in synthesis and processing of materials in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way from laboratory to pilot plant scale.
On this tour, attendees will get insights into a variety of key topics at Fraunhofer IAP: Printed electronics, ink formulation, Quantum Dots, perovskites, shape-memory materials, 3D (bio)printing, solid battery electrolytes, (PFAS-free) membrane technology, implants, coatings, mycelium substrates, carbon fibres, actuators, and sensors.
Participants will be guided through Fraunhofer IAP pilot plants and labs on-site in Potsdam: clean room area for the printed electronics, pilot plant for fibre carbonization, and labs for molecular biology, additive manufacturing, electrical characterization, membranes.
Fraunhofer IAP is a 60 minute drive from Estrel Congress Center, transportation will be provided. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
.
PVComB + Helmholz Zentrum
Photovoltaics
The Helmholtz Innovation Lab HySPRINT offers a unique infrastructure for fabrication, development, and characterization of metal halide perovskite materials and solar cell devices in the high-tech campus Berlin Adlershof. This infrastructure is used to develop world leading perovskite single junctions, mini modules and perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. It includes several wet chemical and vacuum based deposition methods integrated into inert condition operating glove-boxes. The tour will be guided through these laboratories and specific fabrication methods will be presented together with highlighting how these solar cells are characterized in terms of performance.
This tour is limited to 40 people, and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Helmholtz Innovation Lab is a 20 minute drive from Estrel Congress Center, transportation will be provided.
www.helmholtz-berlin.de/projects/hysprint/