ENG: Lead-halide perovskites are a paradox in solar energy: they’re made by inexpensive solution processing and contain many defects, yet they reach power-conversion efficiencies close to silicon. In a Nature Communications study, physicists at ISTA propose a clear physical mechanism that turns this “messiness” into an advantage. Instead of needing near-perfect crystals like silicon, these perovskites can exploit internal micro-structures that help charges survive and travel far enough to be collected as current.
