Oxford researchers identify new semiconductor for more efficient solar cells

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🗞️ Driving the news: Researchers at the University of Oxford have identified a promising property in bismuth sulfide-based semiconductors that could help improve solar energy conversion
• In laboratory tests, the material’s unusual electronic structure reduced electrical charge loss by around 75% at room temperature, potentially addressing a key limitation in solar materials

🔭 The context: Known as a pseudo-direct semiconductor, bismuth sulfide combines strong light absorption with a secondary energy state that allows electrical charges to persist longer before recombining and losing energy as heat
• Using ultrafast terahertz spectroscopy, researchers investigated this mechanism in thin films.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: More efficient solar materials could help generate more electricity from sunlight and support the transition away from fossil fuels
• Bismuth sulfide is also described as earth-abundant and non-toxic, offering potential environmental advantages over semiconductor materials containing lead or cadmium

⏭️ What’s next: Researchers aim to use this discovery as a guide for identifying or designing other semiconductors with similar electronic properties
• Potential applications include more efficient solar panels and solar-to-chemical fuel conversion, although commercial performance and scalability remain to be established

💬 One quote: “Our work shows that this trade-off is not inevitable.” - Professor Laura Herz, corresponding author at the University of Oxford

📈 One stat: 75% — the reduction in electrical charge loss reported at room temperature in laboratory tests.

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