A University of the Western Cape researcher's work has been cited as instrumental in the development of halide perovskites—a material poised to reshape our future by ushering in a new era of energy-efficient optoelectronics.

Scientists at the University of Missouri, in collaboration with researchers like Professor Chris Arendse from UWC, are unlocking the secrets of this groundbreaking material. 

Suchi Guha and Gavin King, two physics professors at Mizzou's College of Arts and Science, are studying halide perovskites at the nanoscale—a realm invisible to the naked eye—where the material’s unique ultra-thin crystal structure makes it exceptionally efficient at converting sunlight into energy.

Their research will possibly bring about cheaper, more effective solar, LED lights that shine brighter, last longer, and use less energy.

“Halide perovskites are being hailed as the semiconductors of the 21st century," said Guha, a solid-state physics expert. “Over the past six years, my lab has focused on optimising these materials as a sustainable source for next-gen optoelectronic devices”.

To create the material, the team used a scalable method called chemical vapour deposition, developed and refined by Randy Burns, one of Guha’s former graduate students, in partnership with Prof Arendse. This technique could enable the mass production of high-performance solar cells.

Guha’s team analysed the material’s optical properties using ultrafast laser spectroscopy, while King—an expert in organic materials—employed ice lithography, a method that fabricates materials at the nanometer scale by cooling them to cryogenic temperatures (below -150°C). This ultra-cold process allowed the team to tailor the material’s properties using an electron beam.

King likened the technique to wielding a “nanometer-scale chisel”.

“By crafting intricate patterns on these thin films, we can create devices with unique properties and functionalities," said King, who specialises in biological physics. “These patterns form the foundational layer for optical electronics”.

Though Guha and King work in different physics disciplines, their partnership has proven highly productive.

“Collaboration expands what’s possible—both experimentally and theoretically,” Guha said. “Gavin’s lab works with biological materials, and by combining that with our solid-state physics research, we’re uncovering new applications we hadn’t envisioned before”.

King agrees: “Diverse perspectives make this work. If we all thought the same way, we wouldn’t achieve nearly as much together”.

Their research exemplifies the cutting-edge energy innovation at Mizzou, contributing to the University’s new Center for Energy Innovation.

The findings were published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C and Small.