Energising sustainability

Advanced microscopy techniques unlock insights into perovskite solar cells, essential for enhancing efficiency and durability in renewable energy solutions.

Credit: Nick Saffell

Credit: Nick Saffell

As perovskite solar technology begins to gain market traction, the latest research from a University of Cambridge department reveals crucial insights for boosting performance and stability.

Researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB), led by Dr Kyle Frohna and Cullen Chosy under the supervision of Professor Sam Stranks and Miguel Anaya, have developed a suite of advanced microscopy tools that combine visible light and X-rays. The work comes at a crucial time, addressing key challenges for the future of renewable energy.

The research paper 'The impact of interfacial quality and nanoscale performance disorder on the stability of alloyed perovskite solar cells', published in Nature Energy, outlines how the advanced microscopy tools will allow for unprecedented insight into the degradation and performance of perovskite solar cells – a class of solar technology that promises to revolutionise renewable energy with its high efficiency and lower cost compared to traditional silicon-based cells. 

The team's new techniques can visualise how structural and chemical ‘disorder’ in solar cells leads to performance losses and quicker degradation over time. By targeting these issues, the researchers aim to create more robust and efficient solar cells, enhancing the viability of solar energy as a long-term solution to the global energy crisis. 

“Perovskite solar cells offer tremendous potential for sustainable energy, but to ensure they work efficiently over many years, we need to understand and address the factors causing instability,” said Dr Frohna. 

Cullen added: “Our research provides vital insights into how we can improve both their performance and longevity.” 

Professor Sam Stranks observes the perovskite cells. Credit: Nick Saffell

Professor Sam Stranks observes the perovskite cells. Credit: Nick Saffell

This development is particularly exciting because it addresses a major barrier to the widespread adoption of perovskite solar cells – durability. The team's findings show that solar cells with less variation in their electrical current extraction are more stable and efficient. By engineering the cells’ interfaces and reducing disorder, the researchers have demonstrated ways to boost both performance and lifespan. 

Professor Sam Stranks said: “We’ve been developing a range of advanced toolsets in our group over the last seven years, to understand performance losses and failure modes in emerging solar cells.  

“This work has pushed these efforts to the next level, where we can now study fully operating solar cells, including under light and electrical operation, on very small length scales. These studies have revealed weak spots in the cells and give guidance of how to further improve the performance and durability – information that would be missed if we studied them without operation or without microscopy.  

“These findings come at a pivotal time as this new technology is now entering the market.” 

As the world grapples with the climate crisis, improving renewable energy technology is critical. Solar energy, particularly perovskite-based cells, has the potential to become a cornerstone of sustainable energy strategies. The Cambridge team’s research represents a key step forward, offering insights that could pave the way for more durable and affordable solar power solutions. 

The team’s breakthrough also underscores the role of academic research in addressing global sustainability challenges, as these advancements bring the prospect of widespread renewable energy solutions closer to reality. This work highlights how fine-tuning solar technology at the nanoscale can make a significant impact on large-scale sustainability efforts.