Metal-halide perovskite solar cells are rapidly advancing as a next-generation energy technology, thanks to their exceptional power conversion efficiency. However, characterizing their delicate structure at the atomic level has remained a significant challenge due to extreme sensitivity to electron beam damage during imaging.

In this study, researchers used a DE-16 detector in electron counting mode to overcome that barrier. By imaging at cryogenic temperatures (98 K) and with an ultra-low beam dose of less than 10 e⁻/Ų/s, they were able to capture lattice-resolution TEM images of a novel halide-perovskite sample. These high-quality images confirmed the material’s structure while preserving its integrity—marking an important step toward better understanding and optimizing perovskite-based solar technologies.

Enhanced Efficiency and Stability for the Inverted High-Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cell via Bottom Passivation Strategy,
L-C. Chang et al. RRL Solar, 8, (19), 2400391 (2024)

Read the abstract here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/solr.202400391