Perovskite

Perovskites are quickly emerging in the solar energy field, thanks to their ability to convert photons into electricity. Now this process has been tweaked to pick up neutrons instead, making an effective detector for leaks from radioactive materials.

Most memory devices us electric signals, but an emerging technology uses light, so data can be read back just by checking if an LED is on or off. Now, researchers have developed a new device based entirely on perovskite that can do both at once.

With a view to one day developing transparent solar cells that can double as windows in homes and other buildings, an international team of scientists has demonstrated a new type of transparent electrode that can function as a key building block.

Scientists have discovered unexpected behavior in perovskite crystals that represents an entirely new state of matter, which they say can help drive the development of advanced solar cells and other optical and electronic devices.

Perovskite solar cells can suffer from stability issues and quickly deteriorate during use, but scientists at Brown University have come up with a way of addressing this by targeting a weak point with something they call molecular glue.

One thing holding back perovskite solar cells is an intrinsic instability and a vulnerability to the elements. Scientists believe they may have found a solution to this hiding in hair swept up from the floor of a local barbershop.

A touch of chili peppers can spice up just about any dish – and maybe, it turns out, even solar cells. Researchers have now found that adding a sprinkle of capsaicin to a perovskite precursor can improve the efficiency of solar cells.

Silicon has long been the gold standard for solar cells, but it’s approaching its limit. Perovskite is emerging as a promising partner, and now engineers have achieved a new efficiency record for this kind of tandem solar cell – almost 30 percent.

One drawback of current perovskite solar technology is the instability of the cells, a problem which scientists have taken a step toward addressing with a new design that incorporates an old organic pigment to keep things in working order.

Perovskite solar cells are rapidly catching up to silicon in efficiency, but continue to lag behind in production speed. Now Stanford has developed a new method of making perovskite solar cells at up to 40 ft per minute – even faster than silicon.

Perovskite solar is gaining much attention in solar cell research, but there are greener alternatives in the works. Scientists have just uncovered a new use for these materials, learning they can harvest energy from indoor lighting with high efficiency.

Scientists in Australia have happened upon a solution to one of the key instability issues facing perovskite solar technology, finding that doses of high-intensity light can be used to avoid deformations that plague the performance of the cell.