Perovskite

Perovskites are promising solar cell candidates, but a major downside is that they degrade in direct sunlight. Researchers have now uncovered a root cause of the problem, and found a simple fix that can be applied during the manufacturing process.

Researchers have built an artificial retina out of perovskite materials that can detect light in a similar fashion to the human eye. In tests, the device was even able to recognize handwritten numbers with a high degree of accuracy.

Perovskite solar cells have come a long way in a short time, but there’s still room for improvement. Engineers have now added a layer of quantum dots to the recipe, resulting in a more stable solar cell with near-record efficiency.

The toxic lead contained in perovskite solar cells presents a risk of it seeping out into the environment when they are damaged, but a newly-developed film likened to Scotch tape could soak up the toxic element before it escapes.

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.