Photo: Jon Lafuente-Bartolome
Scientists at the Texas Advanced Computing Center are gaining a deeper — at the atomic level — understanding of why perovskites are such a good material for converting sunlight into electricity.
The breakthrough was discovered using a supercomputer that detected “vortex structures in quasiparticles of electrons and atoms called polarons,” according to a lab-heavy abstract.
Importantly for energy consumers across America, the findings could help develop new solar cells and LED lighting that have the potential to “reshape the future of lighting,” experts say.
“These polarons show very intriguing patterns. The atoms spin around the electron and form vortices that have never been observed before,” said study co-author Feliciano Giustino, who is director of the Center for Quantum Materials Engineering at the Oden Institute in Texas. in the summary.
Halide perovskites are a family of crystal-structured minerals that have been hailed by many experts as a possible replacement for silicon in solar panels, largely because of their efficiency and potential for low production costs.
The US Department of Energy reports that the application of the material is hampered by its short service life. Experts elsewhere have combined them with silicon for use on panels, with good results.
The polarons, or “lumps of charge … give perovskites their special properties,” according to Giustino.
In what must be a fascinating scene, polaron atoms spin around electrons to form vortices. Electrons are excited when they are hit by light photons. Swirls can help keep them that way longer, according to the summary.
“We suspect that this strange vortex structure prevents the electron from returning to the unexcited energy level,” Giustino explained. The movement of the particles is necessary for the conversion of the sun’s rays into energy.
It’s all part of an exciting time for solar cell innovation that makes renewable, cleaner energy more accessible to the public. The technology helps better electrify homes, appliances and vehicles at more affordable prices.
With the help of federal government incentives, you can save 30% on the cost of a solar home installation. EnergySage is a free service that can help you navigate tax credits, products and installers. On average, solar panel owners save about $1,500 a year on their utility bills.
If the Texas perovskite research can improve LEDs, it could help save even more at home. Better bulbs already save homeowners an average of $600 a year if at least 40 bulbs are replaced.
Importantly, LEDs produce about five times less thermal air pollution than other types. Global warming emissions are linked to an increased risk of cancer and other diseases.
Giustino said his team’s discoveries would not have been possible without very advanced computers that helped identify the polarons and the unique way they, electrons and photons interact in the perovskite.
For its part, the material has advanced rapidly, converting sunlight into electricity with about 25 percent efficiency, according to the government. MarketWatch reports that most solar panels on the market using silicon have levels below 23% for reference.
“It’s a revolutionary material,” Giustino said of perovskite. “This explains why many research groups working on photovoltaics have moved to perovskites because they are very promising.”
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