Carlos Solis
A team of researchers from University College London (UCL) has developed tiny solar cells that operate using artificial indoor light. This means that batteries for our household devices may soon become a thing of the past.
The team says the discovery has wide-ranging applications. It could let people power keyboards, alarm systems, and sensors using only the ambient light in their homes.
What’s the secret behind this invention?
To capture indoor light, the researchers used perovskite in the solar cells. This material, already used in other photovoltaic devices, offers clear advantages over traditional silicon panels. Specifically, the study found that perovskite absorbs scattered, low-intensity light much more effectively.
“In the long run, perovskite-based solar cells represent a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to batteries,” said Mojtaba Abdi Jalebi, a co-author of the study and a lecturer at UCL’s Institute of Materials Discovery.
“Billions of devices that use very little power still rely on battery replacements, which is inefficient,” he added.
Drawbacks of using perovskite
Perovskite is gaining popularity for solar panels. But despite its advantages, it has drawbacks, mainly in stability and durability.
The key issue lies in so-called “traps”—tiny defects in the crystal structure of perovskite. These traps cause electrons to get stuck in microscopic defects in the crystal structure, hindering energy extraction. They also obstruct electricity flow and speed up material degradation.
To combat this, the researchers used a mix of chemicals, including rubidium chloride, which reduced trap density and made the crystals more uniform, Live Science reported.
“A solar cell with these tiny defects is like a pie cut into pieces. By combining strategies, we reassembled the pie, making it easier for charge to pass through,” explained doctoral student Simin Huang, the study’s lead author.
And a bit more about performance advantages
By improving the perovskite structure, the team found the new cells converted 37.6 percent of room light into electricity. That efficiency was measured at 1,000 lux — about the brightness of a well-lit office.
The study also showed that the durability of the solar cells improved: over 100 days, they maintained 92 percent of their efficiency. In comparison, a control device with the original defects in the perovskite retained only 76 percent of its initial efficiency.
Jalebi reported that the team is currently in discussions with industry representatives about strategies for scaling up and commercializing the new solar cells.
“Perovskite solar cells have cost advantages: they use abundant materials and only simple processing,” Jalebi said.
The findings of the study were published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
