Solar cells

Solar cells are devices for converting sunlight into electricity. Their primary element is often a semiconductor which absorbs light to produce carriers of electrical charge. An applied electric field can then sweep these carriers out of the semiconductor, thus producing an electrical current.

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  • News & Views |

    All-perovskite tandem devices are promising due to their high efficiency and low cost but their development is hindered by narrow-bandgap absorbers. Now, researchers combine two large organic cations to improve the optoelectronic quality of narrow-bandgap tin–lead perovskites, enabling single-junction and tandem cells with enhanced efficiency and stability.

    • Pengchen Zhu
    •  & Jia Zhu
    Nature Energy, 1-2

  • News & Views |

    Controlling the crystallization of perovskite films over large areas is key to the manufacturing of solar cells, but is difficult with existing fabrication methods. Now, researchers tailor the composition of the precursor ink to fabricate uniform and phase-pure perovskite layers, enabling a 15.3%-efficient photovoltaic module with an area of 205 cm2.

    • Francesco Di Giacomo
    Nature Energy 7, 480-481

  • News & Views |

    The instability of the rear electrodes in perovskite solar cells limits the long-term durability of the devices. Now, researchers have developed a composite electrode consisting of Cu–Ni alloy sandwiched between graphene layers to considerably improve the operational stability of perovskite solar cells.

    • Jingjing Xue
    Nature Energy 7, 476-477
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