C.P. Berlinguette, J.E. Hein, A. Aspuru-Guzik, B.P. MacLeod, F.G.L. Parlane, B. Lam
University of British Columbia,
Canada
Keywords: materials discovery, machine learning, robotics, automation
Summary:
This presentation will detail our self-driving laboratory for thin film materials discovery and optimization. Discovering high-performance, low-cost materials is an integral component of technology innovation cycles, particularly in the clean energy sector. The linear methodology currently used to develop optimal materials can take decades, which impedes the translation of innovative technologies from conception to market. Our interdisciplinary team is utilizing advanced robotics, machine learning, and computational screening to overcome this challenge. We are closing the feedback loop in thin film materials research by enabling our self-driving robotics platform named “Ada” to design, perform, and learn from its own experiments efficiently and in real time. As a proof-of-principle set of experiments, I will show how Ada discovers and optimizes high-performance, low-cost hole transport materials for use in advanced solar cells. I will also showcase how Ada’s modular design can enable the automated and autonomous discovery of materials for other clean energy technologies.