A new monolithic tandem solar cell has been developed, combining perovskite and silicon materials to achieve an efficiency of 18%, nearly 20% higher than individual cells. The device's design includes a protective layer and a textured wafer, which could further increase efficiency up to 30%.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin improved ultrathin CIGSe solar cells by integrating nanoparticles into the back contact, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced charge carrier loss. This innovative approach enables more efficient light trapping and absorption, paving the way for further design enhancements.
Researchers have developed a process to cover fragile perovskite layers with graphene, resulting in an ideal front contact. The graphene layer enhances transparency and reduces open-circuit voltage losses, increasing overall conversion efficiency.
A team of researchers has achieved an unprecedented 14% efficiency in solar hydrogen production, breaking a 17-year-old record. The breakthrough involves a patented photo-electrochemical process that enhances long-term stability and boosts energy output.
A study published in Scientific Reports reveals that a conductive polymer mixture PEDOT:PSS behaves like a p-type semiconductor when combined with n-type silicon, leading to improved power conversion efficiency. This finding suggests new ways for optimizing devices and could point the way toward future advancements in hybrid solar cells.
Researchers have developed a new, cost-effective alternative to conventional electrodes using encapsulated silver nanowires. The electrodes are made by applying a suspension of silver nanowires onto a substrate and then encasing them in AZO crystals.
Researchers have found that chlorine is depleted from the surface of perovskite absorber layers during processing, while its concentration near the interface with a titanium dioxide layer is higher. This distribution could help mitigate recombination and provide a template for growing the film.
Researchers at HZB have decoded the relationship between magnetic interactions and crystal structure distortions in a geometrically 'frustrated' spinel system. The team discovered new magnetic phases and created a complete phase diagram of the system, shedding light on the complex phase relationships.
Researchers developed a new technique using synchrotron light to map complex 3D magnetization in wound magnetic layers. This allows for improved sensitivity of magnetic field detectors, crucial for medical imaging and magnetoencephalography.
Researchers discovered a 'devil's staircase' effect in a cobalt oxide spin-valve system, allowing for infinite superstructures with tunable magnetic configurations. This finding may lead to new options in spintronics, enabling more efficient data storage and processing.
Researchers have successfully created graphene biosensors that can selectively bind to specific molecules, allowing for precise detection and control. This breakthrough enables the development of inexpensive 'lab-on-a-chip' devices for medical diagnostics, promising a significant impact on healthcare.
Researchers have discovered that the mineral particles in dentin are precompressed, which helps prevent cracks from developing and increases resistance to damage. This natural mechanism may inspire the development of tougher ceramic structures for tooth repair or replacement.
Researchers from Paris and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin successfully switched ferromagnetic domains on and off with a low-voltage electric field near room temperature. This breakthrough could lead to the development of efficient data storage devices with reduced power consumption.
Researchers have developed a novel photoelectrode that solves the problems of inefficient hydrogen generation in acidic electrolytes. The new composite presents high photovoltage and photocurrent densities, as well as chemical protection against corrosion.
Researchers have developed a novel inkjet printing process to produce high-efficiency kesterite solar cells with reduced material waste and lower toxicity. The process has already yielded solar cells with efficiencies up to 6.4%.
Using quantum chemistry and X-ray spectroscopy, researchers have gained insights into the bonding behavior of iron pentacarbonyl. The study could lead to the development of novel catalysts for chemical storage of solar energy by understanding how photons interact with molecules on ultrafast timescales.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin developed silicon micro-funnels that absorb light more efficiently than traditional nanowire arrays. The funnels improve solar cell efficiency without requiring special manufacturing processes.
Scientists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have discovered a surprising high-spin ground state in the cationic cousin of dichromium, Cr2+, using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The team found complete localization of all ten valence electrons and maximum spin coupling, transforming an antiferromagnet into ferromagnetic.
Measurements at BESSY II have shown how spin filters form within magnetic sandwiches, enhancing understanding of processes critical for future TMR data storage devices and other spintronic components. The discovery reveals new interfacial effects that strongly influence the amplitude of tunnel magnetoresistance.
Scientists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have successfully created and tracked magnetic nanovortices with mass, a discovery that challenges previous theories on skyrmions. The researchers used holographic recording techniques to track the movement of these nanovortices, which were found to move along spiral trajectories.
Researchers have discovered holes in the valence bands of nanodiamonds when they are dispersed in water, but not on a solid-state substrate. This discovery suggests that electrons at the surface of nanodiamonds can donate to surrounding water molecules, potentially influencing their chemical and catalytic properties.
Researchers have discovered tiny magnetic particles in meteorites that retain a faithful record of the magnetic fields generated by their parent bodies. By analyzing these particles, scientists were able to reconstruct the history of magnetic activity on the meteorite parent body and capture the moment when the core finished solidifying.
Researchers have created an efficient manganese catalyst capable of converting sunlight into chemical energy. The breakthrough, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, paves the way for a continuous and environmentally-friendly storage form of solar energy.
Researchers have derived a new set of equations that allows for calculating electron paramagnetic resonance transition probabilities with arbitrary alignment and polarization. This progress is relevant for a broad community of EPR users and has been demonstrated with a newly designed THz-EPR experiment at HZB's storage ring BESSY II.
Researchers have observed the universal pattern of charge order in cuprate superconductors, revealing a complex relationship between charge carriers and the formation of superconducting states. The discovery provides important insights into the phenomenon of high-Tc superconductivity.
A new spectrometer using reflection zone plate optics resolves the spectral range of lighter elements, such as lithium and oxygen, which cannot be detected by traditional energy dispersive spectrometers. This technology has significant implications for research on energy-related materials and life sciences.
Researchers at HZB's BESSY II have discovered a new class of materials using protein crystalline frameworks, which can achieve high stability and be intricately interconnected. The discovery allows for controllable interpenetration and variability, opening up potential applications.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin discovered that gold nanoparticles can form small clusters in a solvent made from chicken feed and urea, which enables efficient catalytic reactions. The particles arrange themselves into groups of up to twelve nanoparticles with average diameter of five nanometres.
Researchers have developed a new neutron tomography technique to visualize and analyze phase fractions of crystalline materials in 3D. The method allows for bulk characterization of materials, enabling the discovery of previously undetectable inhomogeneities.
The HZB team has developed novel 3D X-ray optics, enabling sharper imaging with improved resolution. The new optics capture more light and can be stacked on top of each other to achieve even better results.
Researchers have developed a new model that explains the interface losses between organic semiconductors and metals, enabling the introduction of an insulating layer to improve electrical contact. The model suggests varying energy barriers can lead to lower losses and more efficient organic electronic devices.
Researchers create pulse picking technique to enable users to select individual x-ray pulses on demand for high-resolution time-of-flight spectrometers. This allows for more precise band structure examinations in materials science.
Scientists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have developed a new tool to investigate the chemistry of nature using ultrashort laser pulses. The tool allows for insights into electronic and structural dynamics of molecules and molecular complexes, revealing mechanisms of molecular processes on subpicosecond timescales.
Topological insulators exhibit metallic conducting states at their surface, with electron spin playing a crucial role. Researchers have discovered that light can systematically manipulate the spin of electrons in these materials, opening up new possibilities for optospintronic devices.
Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin identify microvoids as a source of 10-15% degradation in amorphous silicon thin film solar cells. The discovery is part of the EPR-Solar network funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research.
Researchers have successfully switched on and off robust ferromagnetism close to room temperature using moderate electric fields. The new magnetic switch has the potential to revolutionize spintronics and data storage technologies with its ability to control magnetization at low power.
Researchers discovered a novel solid-state reaction that lets kesterite grains grow within seconds and at low temperatures. This process can produce near-micrometer-sized crystal grains suitable for thin film solar cells.
The formation of a hierarchical microstructure in superalloys has been observed for the first time using TEM and APT. Researchers found that spherical and plate-like gamma particles are key to the alloy's mechanical properties.
Researchers have developed a new holographic process that utilizes an image-stabilized X-ray camera to improve imaging efficiency and resolution. The method, which uses a Fresnel zone plate to increase brightness, enables the study of fast dynamic processes at the nanoscale.
A team of scientists has discovered that charge carriers in cuprate high-Tc superconductors form nanostripes that can suppress superconductivity. The research uses synchrotron radiation to detect the elusive phenomenon of charge order and measure related nanostructures with high precision.
Researchers at the University of Oulu, Finland, and the Helmholtz Center Berlin have shed light on the structure of thiolase, an enzyme crucial for lipid metabolism in parasites. By blocking the active site, lipid-like substances can be developed to inhibit parasitic metabolism.
Researchers have discovered that graphene remains its conductive properties even when coated with silicon, a breakthrough for transparent solar cells. The study shows that the embedded graphene layer has a carrier mobility roughly 30 times greater than conventional zinc oxide-based contact layers.