September 2021

A team of researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Florida State University, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Quantum Institute and Sungkyunkwan University has found a rare quantum material in which electrons move in coordinated ways, essentially 'dancing.'

Straining the material creates an electronic band structure that sets the stage for exotic, more tightly correlated behavior ' similar to tangoing ' among Dirac electrons, which are especially mobile electric charge carriers that may someday enable faster transistors.

Scientists from École Polytechnique Fedérale de Lausanne (EPFL), University of Luxembourg, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology and CNRS have demonstrated a simple approach to designing the interface between two layers in a perovskite solar cell, improving both the performance and stability of the device.

Solar cells fabricated by the group achieved 23.4% conversion efficiency, and were operated for close to 6,000 hours before degrading beyond 80% of this initial value.

Researchers from Russia-based ITMO University and the University of Rome Tor Vergata have developed a paste made of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and resonant silicon nanoparticles, claimed to improve light absorption in perovskite solar cells based on methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃).

The scientists created a mesoporous electron transport layer based on optically resonant silicon nanoparticles which were then incorporated into TiO₂ paste. 'Such particles serve as nanoantennae ' they catch light and it resonates inside them. And the longer light stays in the photoactive layer, the more of it is absorbed by the material,' said Sergey Makarov, professor at ITMO's school of physics and engineering.

Ascent Solar Technologies, a developer and manufacturer of flexible thin-film photovoltaic solutions, has announced the signing of a Joint Development Agreement with German agrivoltaic thin-film solar tube maker, TubeSolar, to pursue the Agricultural-photovoltaics/Agrivoltaics (APV) market.

It was indicated that this JDA is a multi-million-dollar, long-term supply agreement, forming a strategic partnership between Ascent Solar and TubeSolar. This JDA includes (i) long-term supplier of customized PV ('PV Foils') for TubeSolar, (ii) Non-Recurring Engineering Fee ('NRE Fee') of up to $4 Million, payable by TubeSolar to Ascent Solar in three parts, (iii) establishment of a joint venture entity to develop a new manufacturing facility located in Germany ('JV FAB'), (iv) the Company will benefit from milestone payments by TubeSolar of up to $13.5 Million, and (v) joint development efforts in next generation, high efficiency CIGS-Perovskite tandem PV cells.

ITMO scientists have created perovskite nanocrystals that preserve their unique optical properties in water and biological fluids. This material could offer new opportunities for the optical visualization of biological objects and promote the investigation of internal organs in living organisms and monitoring of diseases.

Nanomaterials based on halide perovskites hold great potential for use in bioimaging: perovskite nanoparticles can be potentially applied for visualization purposes in order to study biological processes in cells and living organisms. However, the main limitation that prevents their application as luminescent markers is their instability in aqueous solutions.

Researchers from Japan's Tsukuba University have found that ultraviolet light can modulate oxide ion transport in a perovskite crystal at room temperature.

The performance of battery and fuel cell electrolytes depends on the motions of electrons and ions within the electrolyte. Modulating the motion of oxide ions within the electrolyte could enhance future battery and fuel cell functionality by increasing the efficiency of the energy storage and output. Use of light to modulate the motions of ions - which expands the source of possible energy inputs - has only been demonstrated thus far for small ions such as protons. Overcoming this limitation of attainable ion motions is something the researchers in this study aimed to address.

Researchers from Italy's CNR-IMM, Università del Salento, Università degli Studi di Catania and University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' have developed an innovative vacuum deposition method to prepare thin CH₃NH₃PbI₃ (MAPbI₃) layers for semitransparent perovskite solar cells.

Schematic of three physical deposition methods. Image from article

This new (patent pending) method to deposit thin perovskite layers for PSC under low vacuum conditions is called LV-PSE (low vacuum proximity space effusion) and can reportedly reduce costs and waste.

Skoltech researchers, along with colleagues from the RAS Institute for Problems of Chemical Physics, have synthesized a new conjugated polymer for organic electronics using two different chemical reactions and shown the impact of the two methods on its performance in organic and perovskite solar cells.

Perovskite solar cells have reached impressive certified record efficiencies, but long-term stability remains an issue. Recent research has shown that device stability can be improved by covering the photoactive perovskite material with a charge-extraction layer that provides efficient encapsulation. Among other materials, this protective function may be fulfilled by conjugated polymers.

Scientists from the Soochow University (Suzhou), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, East China Normal University (Shanghai) and Ural Federal University have developed an architecture of red-emitting perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs) that minimizes optical energy loss and significantly increases their efficiency and longevity.

The new work may open the door to high-performance LEDs for lighting devices, displays and other electronic devices. These could be energy efficient and at the same time have high brightness and long operating time.

Perovskite solar panels have been under intensive R&D, and it seems as if commercial production is right around the corner. Some pilot-scale production lines are already functional, and companies are now ramping up production of perovskite panels, using various technologies.

UK-based Oxford PV, for example, recently announced that it has completed the build-out of its 100 MW manufacturing site in Germany, and it is on track to start full production in 2022. China's Microquanta Semiconductor perovskite panel factory is reportedly also nearing production (which should have started late 2020, but updates have not been available since), and another China-based company, GCL, has raised around $15 million USD to expand its pilot-scale production factory to mass production (100 MW).