Researchers from Malaysia have simulated a mixed cation solar cell based on a perovskite absorber integrating tin (Sn) and germanium (Ge) as mixed B cations. By modulating the perovskite layer thickness, they achieved an efficiency ranging of 24.25% - 31.49%.

Perovskite absorbers using mixed cations have the potential to improve stability, light absorption, and charge carrier mobility. A cations are used to control the bandgap and stability of the perovskite material, while B cations are intended to modify electrical and optical characteristics of perovskites. The scientists explained that using both elements in the B cation via “compositional engineering ” enables to reduce their respective defects and increase the cell performance, when compared to using each of them separately. Furthermore, the Ge atoms can replace Sn atoms in the perovskite crystal structure.

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara, Pusan National University and Korea Electric Power Research Institute have introduced a simple approach to produce high-quality perovskite films at room temperature by precisely regulating the perovskite composition with the addition of an organic linker (oleylamine, OAm). This work aims to address the challenge presented by current processes for manufacturing PSCs - that tend to rely on high-temperature annealing and intricate post-treatments.

The team’s innovation not only simplified the production process but also increased the material’s efficiency from under 20% to 24.4%. The method enabled phase conversion to the stable α-phase without thermal annealing, as confirmed by in situ X-ray monitoring. The optimized device achieved impressive efficiencies of 23.2% (24.4% with an anti-reflective coating), surpassing efficiencies attained by previous room/low-temperature-processed PSCs. 

Researchers from Wuhan University, University of South Florida, CNRS and Nanoneurosciences recently reported the first crystalline 2D Fullerene based Metal Halide Semiconductor, (C₆₀-2NH₃)Pb₂I₆.

Designing functionalized C60 adducts at the Spanopoulos Group at USF

According to the team, single crystal XRD studies elucidated the structure of the new material, while DFT calculations highlighted the strong contribution of C₆₀-2NH₃ to the electronic density of states of the conduction band of the material. Utilization of C₆₀-2NH₃ as an interlayer between a FA_0.6MA_0.4Pb_0.7Sn_0.3I₃ perovskite and a C60 layer reportedly offered superior band energy alignment, reduced nonradiative recombination, and enhanced carrier mobility.

Researchers from China's Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University have reported a new type of two-terminal self-rectifying memristor that gets rid of asymmetric complex structures by using CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals (NCs). The integration of rectifying effects with resistance switching in a self-rectifying memristor offers the opportunity to suppress the sneak current in high-density crossbar arrays for energy-efficient neuromorphic computing.

This study demonstrates the possibility of constructing controllable self-rectifying memristors without involving asymmetric complex structures, paving a new way for resolving the sneak current issue in crossbar arrays of memristors. 

Researchers from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) and Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) recently developed a straightforward and effective method for producing 3D architectures of perovskite quantum dot (PQD)-encapsulated high-performance composites (PQD-HPCs) through direct-ink writing (DIW). 

Schematic of the direct-ink writing (DIW) approach of luminescent PQD–polymer architectures. Image from Advanced Functional Materials

Led by Professor Im Doo Jung from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNIST, the recent study introduced a cutting-edge one-stop perovskite quantum dot (PQD) additive manufacturing technology. This approach eliminates the need for heat treatment, allowing for the creation of complex 3D shapes with exceptional precision, including iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower.

Solaires Enterprises and XLYNX Materials recently announced a collaboration which will focus on building efficient and stable perovskite solar cells to “unlock the full potential of recycled light”. 

The partnership between the two Canada-based companies aims to help engineer the future of solar energy, according to Dr. Sahar Sam, a cofounder of Solaires Enterprises. “Through collaboration with XLYNX Materials, we are one step closer to making solar energy even more sustainable, cost-effective, and accessible,” Sam stated. 

Researchers from Soochow University, Hunan University and Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg have incorporated pseudo-halogen thiocyanate (SCN) ions in iodide/bromide mixed halide perovskites and showed that they enhance crystallization and reduce grain boundaries. 

While perovskite/organic tandem solar cells could theoretically achieve high efficiency and stability, their performance is hindered by a process known as phase segregation, which degrades the performance of wide-bandgap perovskite cells and adversely affects recombination processes at the tandem solar cells' interconnecting layer. The team devised a strategy to suppress phase segregation in wide-bandgap perovskites, thus boosting the performance and stability of perovskite/organic tandem cells. This strategy entails the use of a pseudo-triple-halide alloy incorporated in mixed halide perovskites based on iodine and bromine.

An international group of researchers, led by the Chungbuk National University in South Korea, has reported a tin halide perovskite (Sn-HP) solar cell that uses an additive known as 4-Phenylthiosemicarbazide (4PTSC) to reduce imperfections in the perovskite layer.

Using wide bandgap tin halide perovskites (Sn-HP) could pose an eco-friendly option for multi-junction Sn-HP photovoltaics, but rapid crystallization often results in poor film morphology and substantial defect states, hampering device efficiency. The team's work aims to introduce a novel multifunctional additive to tackle these issues.

Researchers from Austria's Johannes Kepler University Linz have developed lightweight, thin (<2.5 μm), flexible and transparent-conductive-oxide-free quasi 2D perovskite solar cells by incorporating alpha-methylbenzyl ammonium iodide into the photoactive perovskite layer. 

The team fabricated the devices directly on an ultrathin polymer foil coated with an alumina barrier layer to ensure environmental and mechanical stability without compromising weight and flexibility.

Researchers from China's Kunming University of Science and Technology and Southwest United Graduate School have doped rare-earth ions into borosilicate glass for the first time to induce the self-crystallization of CsPbBr₃ QDs.

All-inorganic perovskite quantum dots (QDs) in glass materials, specifically CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I), have potential as next-generation fluorescent materials due to their impressive luminous performance and stability. However, the crystallization process of quantum dots within the glass presents a challenge, leading to uneven crystallinity and subsequent reductions in light efficiency, thereby affecting practical applications. In glass ceramics doped with rare-earth oxides, the introduction of rare-earth ions as nucleating agents can promote the self-precipitation of nanocrystalline crystals within the glass.