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Mixed halide hybrid perovskites possess tunable band gaps, however, under illumination they undergo phase separation. Using spectroscopic measurements and theoretical modelling, Draguta and Sharia et al. quantitatively rationalize the microscopic processes that occur during phase separation.

Nanostructured solar cells should be designed to balance the photonic and electronic effects together to be highly efficient. Cui et al.demonstrate a solar cell with the all-back-contact design and nanocone structure that uses just 10-μm-thick silicon while achieving efficiencies up to 13.7%.

The use of a metamaterial mirror in a thin-film solar cell enhances light absorption and photocurrent generation by about 20%.

The efficiency of organic blends used for photovoltaic applications depends on their ability to convert photoexcited charges into free holes and electrons. It is now demonstrated that the lowermost energetic states formed at the donor/acceptor interface can reach conversion efficiencies close to 100%, and therefore do not behave as traps for charge carriers.

Dynamic windows can reduce a building’s energy demand, yet the control of light and heat transmission remains challenging. Strand et al. show that polymer inhibitors improve the morphology of metal films allowing a wide modulation of light and heat flow in windows based on reversible metal electrodeposition.

Perovskite solar cells degrade when subjected to reverse bias. Jiang et al. show that relatively thick hole transport layers and metal back contacts with improved electrochemical stability afford better tolerance to reverse bias.

Low bandgap tin–lead perovskites are crucial to making efficient all-perovskite tandem solar cells but have so far shown poor stability. By removing the hole transport layer and improving film morphology, Prasanna et al. demonstrate a low-gap perovskite solar cell that is stable for 1,000 h under heat, light and atmospheric conditions.

Manufacturing of perovskite solar cells under ambient conditions is desirable. Meng et al. show that dimethylammonium formate suppresses halide oxidation and deprotonation of organic cations, enabling air-processed inverted solar cells with 24.7% efficiency.

Capping a three-dimensional metal halide perovskite with a layered, two-dimensional perovskite prevents ions from diffusing out of the perovskite keeping out oxygen and water as well as contributing to solar cell stability. New research shows that a thin cross-linked polymer layer can ensure that the boundary between the 3D and 2D materials remains sharp, further improving stability.

Soil erosion is driven by multiple natural processes, which may occur concurrently and exacerbate the threat to soil functioning of arable land. Accurate accounting of the drivers and ___location of soil erosion is needed to guide monitoring and mitigation efforts across the European Union.

Improving the manufacturability of perovskite solar cells is key to their deployment. Zheng et al. report a one-step deposition of the hole-selective and absorber layers that addresses wettability issues and simplifies the fabrication process.

The dream of printing highly efficient solar cells is closer than ever to being realized. Solvent engineering has enabled the deposition of uniform perovskite semiconductor films that yield greater than 15% power-conversion efficiency.

The existence of a crystalline precursor is key to perovskite film formation, but the precise chemistry of the precursor and its transformation into perovskite are poorly understood. Here, the authors identify the crystal structure and conversion chemistry of the precursor for PbCl₂-derived methylammonium lead iodide perovskites.

Tong et al. form a 2D perovskite layer with two large organic cations to improve the structural and optoelectronic properties of Sn–Pb perovskites, and eventually the performance of single-junction and tandem solar cells.

All-perovskite triple-junction solar cell devices have been fabricated, with a certified efficiency of 23.3%; these devices retain 80% of their initial efficiency following 420 hours of operation.

The power-conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells is increased by 26% by using energy relay dyes. The scheme aids the absorption of high-energy photons that undergo Förster resonant energy transfer to a sensitizing dye, and may offer a viable pathway for developing more efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

Solar cells based on 3D/2D perovskite heterostructures show promising performance, but ion diffusion limits the device stability. Now Luo et al. suppress ion diffusion by inserting a cross-linked polymer between the 2D and 3D layers, improving the operational stability.

Perovskite solar cells can complement silicon photovoltaics in multijunction devices. Here, the authors optimize light harvesting in monolithic perovskite-on-silicon devices and fabricate a certified 23.6% efficient, 1 cm² tandem solar cell with a perovskite device that withstands damp heat tests.

The ultimate goal of the solar-cell industry is to make inexpensive devices that are highly efficient at converting sunlight into electricity. The advent of perovskite semiconductors could be the key to reaching this goal. See Letter p.395

Perovskites, with their wide bandgap range, are good partners for both commercial and novel photovoltaic technologies in multijunction solar cells. Here, McGehee and co-workers review recent material and device developments and highlight future challenges and opportunities for perovskite-based tandems.

Metal-based smart windows allow for light and heat transmission control but suffer from poor metal ion diffusion over large areas. Here, the authors demonstrate a 100 cm² window that is uniformly switchable from clear to black in 60 s by combining reversible metal electrodeposition with ion insertion.

Flexible electronics and other nanoscale devices require simple yet reliable assembly procedures. An optical welding technique for metal nanowires, based on surface plasmon resonances, is now used to fabricate interconnected nanowire networks with enhanced electrical properties for use as transparent electrodes in solar cells and other electrical devices.

Device resilience under temperature cycling is critical for the practical implementation of perovskite photovoltaics. This Perspective highlights how stability evolves with thermal cycling, emphasizing the need for adequate protocols and a deeper understanding of the material and interface changes.

Despite its known effects in brain reward centers, nicotine can be aversive in high doses. Here, the authors show that nicotine aversion depends on low-affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed on projections from the interpeduncular nucleus to the laterodorsal tegmentum.

The morphology of semiconductor blends greatly affects their performance in solar cells. Advances in scanning probe potentiometry are making it possible to image directly the build up of charge after a cell is illuminated.

The construction of a polymer solar cell that can successfully collect an electron and hole for almost every incident photon suggests that great improvements in the efficiency of organic photovoltaics should be possible.

Reliability of stability data for perovskite solar cells is undermined by a lack of consistency in the test conditions and reporting. This Consensus Statement outlines practices for testing and reporting stability tailoring ISOS protocols for perovskite devices.

Although perovskite solar cells now have competitive efficiencies compared with silicon solar cells, their low stability has hindered their commercial application thus far. This Review summarizes the tremendous improvements made over the past decade and offer a perspective on how to reach >25-year stable perovskite solar cells.

This Review focuses on several recent promising innovations in the field of dye-sensitized solar cells. The key strategies for device engineering and dye design are illustrated, together with explanations as to how these factors affect the robustness and power conversion efficiency of the final device. The outlook towards the commercialization of dye-sensitized solar cells is also described.

A clinical trial in patients with glioblastoma shows increased immune and anti-tumour responses to dendritic cell vaccination after pre-conditioning the site of vaccination with tetanus toxoid (Td); similar results are also seen in mice in part due to the actions of the chemokine CCL3, and the findings may represent new ways to improve the efficacy of anti-cancer vaccines.