Engineers have built indoor perovskite solar cells that convert ambient light into electricity with record efficiency. The advance targets billions of low-power devices that currently depend on disposable batteries.
The cells are designed for typical indoor spectra from LEDs and fluorescents. Results show strong stability under storage and heat, pushing the technology closer to real-world deployment in homes and workplaces.
Record efficiency from ambient light
Optimized for roughly 1,000 lux, the cells achieve about 37.6% indoor power conversion efficiency in lab tests. Performance at these light levels surpasses many commercial indoor harvesters and enables continuous trickle power for small electronics.
Researchers tuned the absorber’s bandgap for indoor spectra and minimized parasitic losses. The focus was on maximizing open-circuit voltage and fill factor under low-irradiance conditions common in offices and retail spaces.
Did you know?
Indoor light levels around 1,000 lux are common in offices and stores, providing a steady energy source that optimized perovskite cells can convert with high efficiency.
Chemistry that fixes energy-wasting defects
A triple passivation treatment reduces charge-trapping defects that waste energy as heat. The recipe uses rubidium chloride, N,N-dimethyloctylammonium iodide, and phenethylammonium chloride to stabilize the crystal lattice and smooth charge transport paths.
The approach lessens internal strain and discourages phase segregation. It also improves ion stability, which can otherwise degrade performance during extended operation under light.
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Stress tests point to practical durability
Devices retained about 92% of initial output after months of room-temperature storage at low humidity. Under continuous light at 55°C for hundreds of hours, they maintained roughly three quarters of their starting performance, indicating resilience to heat and illumination stress.
Comparable untreated devices lost more than half of their output over similar intervals. The gap highlights the impact of defect control on long-term function.
Manufacturing routes fit scalable production
Perovskite films can be deposited at low temperatures using abundant materials. The process is compatible with printing and roll-to-roll methods suited to thin, lightweight form factors for embedded electronics.
These routes align with cost-sensitive applications such as sensors, tags, and small displays, where maintenance and battery replacement are major pain points.
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Battery-free power for the Internet of Things
High-efficiency indoor harvesters enable self-powered sensors for climate monitoring, security, and occupancy analytics. In factories, they can support condition monitoring where access for battery swaps is limited.
Reducing disposable batteries cuts maintenance and e-waste. It also improves reliability for devices that must operate continuously without human intervention.
What comes next for commercialization
Key steps include scaling device area with uniform performance, encapsulation for moisture protection, and integration with power management circuits. Developers are exploring standardized modules that pair cells with supercapacitors for steady output.
Pilot deployments in offices and retail environments will validate lifetime and energy yield under varied lighting schedules and spectra.
Why it matters for sustainable electronics
Indoor energy harvesting can convert existing illumination into useful power for small devices. Better stability and efficiency reduce dependence on single-use batteries and support smarter buildings with lower service costs.
If scaled successfully, this class of perovskite cells could make indoor light a quiet backbone for the next generation of connected devices.
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