US scientists grow larger perovskite crystals, boosting solar cell efficiency to 26%

Researchers at UC San Diego with Princeton and Sungkyunkwan University developed a method that uses a temporary eutectic liquid phase to control perovskite crystallization. Devices reached 24–26% efficiency, and solar cells retained most of their initial performance after eight weeks of continuous operation under simulated sunlight.

• ZnBr2 and MACl additives form a eutectic that briefly liquefies crystal boundaries
• Perovskite device efficiencies reached 24–26%
• Solar cells kept most efficiency after 8 weeks of operation
• The method produced the longest-lived electron-hole pairs reported for direct-bandgap semiconductors