Key Findings
A research team co-led by the University of California San Diego has developed a technique to increase the efficiency and durability of halide perovskite solar cells. By utilizing a volatile eutectic mixture during the crystallization process, the team produced crystals that are larger and more uniform with fewer structural defects. This improvement led to the reporting of the longest lasting electron-hole pairs for any direct-bandgap semiconductor.
Technical Details
The process involves mixing two specific salts—zinc bromide and methylammonium chloride—into the perovskite solution. When heated, these additives form a eutectic, a low-melting mixture that creates a temporary liquid layer around the boundaries of growing crystals. This liquid phase allows the crystals to rearrange into a more orderly structure.
As heating continues, the methylammonium chloride evaporates, while zinc remains concentrated at the crystal boundaries to neutralize electronic defects. The researchers verified this solid-liquid-solid growth mechanism using advanced X-ray imaging, observing the material transition from a disordered liquid-like state back to an ordered state at the same temperature.
Background and Context
In standard perovskites, grain boundaries between tiny crystals often contain defects that cause energy loss from captured sunlight. These defects are particularly problematic when scaling up to larger solar panels, as efficiency typically drops as the device size increases. The study, titled “Volatile eutectics to tailor crystallisation for perovskite optoelectronics,” was published in Science on Oct. 8.
Significance and Outlook
The researchers confirmed that this eutectic-forming additive approach is effective across different perovskite chemistries. By removing performance-limiting defects at the edges of crystalline grains, the method provides a path toward higher-quality materials. The team is currently exploring additional eutectic chemistries to further control the crystallization process, which may enable the production of efficient, scalable solar technologies.
Source: https://compoundsemiconductor.net/article/125584/Making_perovskite_solar_cells_more_durable
Get our weekly technology intelligence — free
Receive an infographic that lets you judge at a glance whether each field’s analysis report is worth reading.
Subscribe Free — Weekly Tech Intelligence
By subscribing, you’ll receive Troy-Technical’s weekly technology intelligence newsletter.
- Your email and selected fields are used only to deliver the newsletter.
- We never share your information with third parties.
- You can unsubscribe anytime via the link in each email.
See our Privacy Policy for details.
Takes about a minute · Unsubscribe anytime
