A recent study by the University of Utah has revealed the potential of phase-transitioned hybrid perovskites for use in solar cell manufacturing.

The research was led by Perry Martin, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry’s Bischak Lab at the University of Utah.

The study was published under the research paper titled “Coupled optical and structural properties of two-dimensional metal-halide perovskites across phase transitions” in the journal Matter.

The U.S. Department of Energy funded this research.

The study utilized Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites, a type of layered material composed of alternating sheets of inorganic and organic components, to conduct the research.

Researchers studied the phase transition behaviors of perovskites when the temperature was altered using techniques such as temperature-dependent absorption and emission spectroscopy, as well as X-ray diffraction.

A phase transition is a discrete change of matter from one state to another.

When heated, this type of perovskite can be altered from a crystalline to a disordered state.

The researchers observed that hybrid perovskites that have undergone a phase transition can be mixed with solvents to print solar cells.

They also discovered that perovskites can be manipulated at a molecular level, and the emission wavelength can be tuned from ultraviolet to near-infrared.

It was found that phase transition can also lead to controllable changes in the light’s wavelength, which can be utilized to design tunable light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and other electronic devices.

These hybrid perovskites can provide an alternative solution to the energy-intensive manufacturing processes required for producing solar cells.

Additionally, this technology enables the retrofitting of existing solar cells with perovskites to enhance their efficiency.

In May 2025, a study by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory claimed it improved perovskite solar cell technology performance by replacing the commonly used fullerene electron transport layer with a newly synthesized ionic salt, commonly referred to as CPMAC.

In 2024, researchers at Northwestern University discovered that large-scale perovskite films, commonly used in solar technology, can be protected by liquid crystals that respond to temperature changes, preventing precipitation accumulation.