Recent progress in enhancing built-in electric fields of perovskite solar cells via junction engineering

• Tong Xiao and
• Ke Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 602–621, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.42

• Tong Xiao Ke Xu School of Electrical & Control Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang, China 10.3762/bjnano.17.42 Abstract The performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is primarily governed by the built-in electric field (BEF), which dictates photocarrier separation, drift

• ; junction; perovskite solar cells; Introduction Driven by the global push for carbon neutrality, next-generation high-efficiency and low-cost photovoltaic technologies have gained increasing attention. Due to their high absorption coefficients, long carrier diffusion lengths, tunable bandgaps, and solution

• processability, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have advanced significantly since their inception [1]. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of single-junction devices has risen from 3.8% to 27.3% [2][3][4], highlighting their potential to approach the Shockley–Queisser limit. In typical heterojunction solar cells

Impacts of annealing on structural and photophysical properties of zinc phthalocyanine adsorbed on graphene

• Gautier Creutzer,
• Quentin Fernez,
• Nataliya Kalashnyk,
• Zohreh Safarzadeh,
• Lydia Sosa Vargas,
• Céline Fiorini-Debuisschert,
• Nicolas Fabre and
• Fabrice Charra

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 576–585, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.39

• a promising route to design original and innovative electronic devices [1] such as diodes [2][3], transistors [4][5][6], photodetectors [7][8], solar cells [9][10][11], or light-emitting devices [12]. In such heterostructures most electronic processes take place at the interface between graphene and

Laser–material interactions in liquids for the synthesis of nanomaterials: current status and perspectives

• Carlos Doñate Buendia,
• Bilal Gökce and
• Leonid V. Zhigilei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 571–575, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.38

• ]), generation of soft magnets for magnetocaloric applications [58], fabrication of photodetectors [59], nanoscale agents for photodynamic [60] and neutron capture therapy [61], incorporation of nanoparticles into solar cells [62], light-harvesting nanofluids [63], and materials with enhanced mechanical [64] or

Safe and sustainable by design with ML/AI: A transformative approach to advancing nanotechnology

• Georgia Melagraki

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 176–185, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.11

• enabled targeted therapies for cancer, minimizing side effects while enhancing therapeutic efficacy [1][2]. In the energy sector, nanostructured materials have enhanced the performance and energy density of batteries and solar cells, providing more sustainable and efficient solutions [3]. Additionally

Laser processing in liquids: insights into nanocolloid generation and thin film integration for energy, photonic, and sensing applications

• Akshana Parameswaran Sreekala,
• Pooja Raveendran Nair,
• Jithin Kundalam Kadavath,
• Bindu Krishnan,
• David Avellaneda Avellaneda,
• M. R. Anantharaman and
• Sadasivan Shaji

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1428–1498, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.104

• Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates, and solar cells. In this review article, we describe different methods of nanocolloidal synthesis using laser-assisted processes and corresponding thin film fabrication methods, particularly those utilized for device fabrication and characterization. The four

• pulsed laser ablation, and used the NPs to fabricate Cu–In composite NPs and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cells through EPD [134][135]. They used cathodic EPD, where the substrate serves as the cathode, to prevent potential oxidation of the metallic NPs and substrate that could occur on the anode

Influence of ion beam current on the structural, optical, and mechanical properties of TiO₂ coatings: ion beam-assisted vs conventional electron beam evaporation

• Agata Obstarczyk and
• Urszula Wawrzaszek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1097–1112, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.81

• , and good availability, TiO2 in the form of thin films is now widely used in the development of gas sensors, photodetectors, solar cells, memristors, and photocatalysts [1][12][15][16][17]. The area of application of titanium dioxide is also related to the crystal structure in which it occurs, that is

• , brookite, anatase, or rutile [16][17][18][19][20]. The rutile phase is the most stable structure of TiO2, while anatase is a metastable phase. Recently, the anatase phase of TiO2 has been particularly used in the production of solar cells and optical coatings. According to [17][18], titanium dioxide in the

Soft materials nanoarchitectonics: liquid crystals, polymers, gels, biomaterials, and others

• Katsuhiko Ariga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1025–1067, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.77

• [149][150][151][152][153]. Nanoarchitectonics is also used in the development of chemical catalysts [154][155][156][157][158], photocatalysts [159][160][161][162][163], sensors [164][165][166][167][168], biosensors [169][170][171][172][173], devices [174][175][176][177][178], solar cells [179][180][181

• and polar moieties can exhibit ferroelectric behavior and electronic carrier transport properties. The corresponding materials have been the subject of investigation for potential applications in electroluminescent devices, field-effect transistors, and solar cells [228][229][230][231][232]. To

• electronic devices, including thin-film field-effect transistors, light-emitting diodes and solar cells, represents a promising avenue of research. Four liquid crystal compounds were synthesized by Seki et al., incorporating phenyl terthiophene-extended π-conjugation and chiral, branched alkoxy chains

Ar⁺ implantation-induced tailoring of RF-sputtered ZnO films: structural, morphological, and optical properties

• Manu Bura,
• Divya Gupta,
• Arun Kumar and
• Sanjeev Aggarwal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 872–886, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.66

• displays [5], solar cells [6], and light-emitting diodes [7]. There are numerous methods for synthesizing ZnO films, including pulsed laser deposition, spray pyrolysis, radio frequency (RF) sputtering, and sol–gel techniques. Here RF sputtering is preferred over other methods because it provides high

• , although the variation in surface parameters and optical characteristics can significantly impact the applicability of ZnO films in semiconductors, spintronics, solar cells, and green energy industries [3][18]. This motivated us to investigate the emergence of Raman longitudinal optical modes and their

Nanostructured materials characterized by scanning photoelectron spectromicroscopy

• Matteo Amati,
• Alexey S. Shkvarin,
• Alexander I. Merentsov,
• Alexander N. Titov,
• María Taeño,
• David Maestre,
• Sarah R. McKibbin,
• Zygmunt Milosz,
• Ana Cremades,
• Rainer Timm and
• Luca Gregoratti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 700–710, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.54

• one-transistor-one-resistor cells with minimal footprint [25] can be realized. Optimizing nanowire diameter and distance further enhances the strong light adsorption of III–V materials, resulting in nanowire-based solar cells of high efficiency [26]. While such nanowire-based devices are highly

• high spatial resolution. We correlate that to the chemical surface composition, distinguishing between surface and bulk effects on the path towards improved surface properties of nanowire solar cells with further enhanced efficiency. Furthermore, they demonstrate the large suitability of SPEM for

The impact of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane hole transport layer doping on interfacial charge extraction and recombination

• Konstantinos Bidinakis and
• Stefan A. L. Weber

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 678–689, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.52

• in solar cells based on these materials. To do so on operating solar cells, we created samples with exposed cross-sections and examined their potential profile distributions with Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), implementing our comprehensive measurement protocol. Using the Lewis acid tris

• ; hole transport layer doping; Kelvin probe force microscopy; perovskite solar cells; Introduction Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a promising class of photovoltaic material that exhibits high power conversion efficiencies and relies on a low-cost solution-processed fabrication method [1][2][3][4]. At

• the core of their success lies the perovskite absorber material, which exhibits impressive bulk properties, such as long carrier lifetimes and low recombination rates [5][6][7][8]. However, the granular nature of perovskites and the layered structure of their solar cells, introduce complications such

Nanoscale capacitance spectroscopy based on multifrequency electrostatic force microscopy

• Pascal N. Rohrbeck,
• Lukas D. Cavar,
• Franjo Weber,
• Peter G. Reichel,
• Mara Niebling and
• Stefan A. L. Weber

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 637–651, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.49

• study materials such as perovskite solar cells [18][19][20] and Li-ion batteries [21][22][23]. AFM enables simultaneous acquisition of topographic and electronic data by applying AC or DC voltages across the tip–sample gap, allowing for the detection of capacitive forces [24][25] or contact potential

Polyurethane/silk fibroin-based electrospun membranes for wound healing and skin substitute applications

• Iqra Zainab,
• Zohra Naseem,
• Syeda Rubab Batool,
• Muhammad Waqas,
• Ahsan Nazir and
• Muhammad Anwaar Nazeer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 591–612, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.46

• ability of SF films to enhance light trapping in photoelectronic devices. Furthermore, combining SF films with biodegradable solar cells has the potential to power next-generation biomedical equipment, providing long-term energy solutions for diagnostic and therapeutic applications [93]. Silk fibroin

N₂⁺-implantation-induced tailoring of structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics of sputtered molybdenum thin films

• Usha Rani,
• Kafi Devi,
• Divya Gupta and
• Sanjeev Aggarwal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 495–509, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.38

• Usha Rani Kafi Devi Divya Gupta Sanjeev Aggarwal Ion Beam Centre, Department of Physics, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136119, India 10.3762/bjnano.16.38 Abstract Molybdenum (Mo) thin films have extensive applications in energy storage devices and photovoltaic solar cells because of their

• technological applications owing to their outstanding characteristics. The high melting point and stability of molybdenum ensure that it remains structurally intact under the harsh operating conditions of solar cells [1][2]. This stability is essential for long-term reliability and performance. The low

Tailoring of physical properties of RF-sputtered ZnTe films: role of substrate temperature

• Kafi Devi,
• Usha Rani,
• Arun Kumar,
• Divya Gupta and
• Sanjeev Aggarwal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 333–348, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.25

• fossil fuels to fulfil the growing demands of energy results in environmental pollution. Environmentally friendly resources such as solar and wind energy can act as a substitute for these non-renewable energy resources because of their sustainability and abundance. Commonly, silicon-based solar cells are

• used for this purpose. However, the requirement of very pure material for making these devices leads to high production cost. Metal chalcogenide-based solar cells, because of their low cost and comparable efficiency, can act as a substitute for the Si-based technology. Metal chalcogenide (II–VI

• (CdZnTe) compounds. Currently many efforts are made to increase the efficiency of CdTe-based solar cells. A maximum efficiency of 22.1% has been achieved using CdTe-based solar cells. The efficiency can be tuned by the formation of a stable ohmic back contact. For this, a material with a bandgap greater

Comparison of organic and inorganic hole transport layers in double perovskite material-based solar cell

• Deepika K and
• Arjun Singh

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 119–127, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.11

• Deepika K Arjun Singh Department of Applied Sciences, The Northcap University, Gurugram, India 10.3762/bjnano.16.11 Abstract Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are in the focus of the photovoltaic industry. Lead-free double perovskite solar cells (DPSCs) have become an essential alternative of lead

• , that is, La2NiMnO6 (LNMO), is studied with the organic and inorganic hole transport layers (HTLs) Cu2O and PEDOT:PSS. Our study yields a significant improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells with two types of HTLs. The optimized devices achieved a maximum PCE of

• % Mn doping and an Eu compact layer, an efficiency of 4.20% was obtained. Currently, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are attracting the attention of research communities worldwide because of their outstanding and unique properties. PSCs possess desirable characteristics such as cost-effectiveness

Heterogeneous reactions in a HFCVD reactor: simulation using a 2D model

• Xochitl Aleyda Morán Martínez,
• José Alberto Luna López,
• Zaira Jocelyn Hernández Simón,
• Gabriel Omar Mendoza Conde,
• José Álvaro David Hernández de Luz and
• Godofredo García Salgado

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1627–1638, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.128

• –metal devices exhibiting blue and white electroluminescence [7][8]. It was found that these films exhibit photoconductive and photoelectric effects suitable for electroluminescence and photovoltaics applications [9][10], as well as for other applications such as solar cells and anodes for Li batteries

The round-robin approach applied to nanoinformatics: consensus prediction of nanomaterials zeta potential

• Dimitra-Danai Varsou,
• Arkaprava Banerjee,
• Joyita Roy,
• Kunal Roy,
• Giannis Savvas,
• Haralambos Sarimveis,
• Ewelina Wyrzykowska,
• Mateusz Balicki,
• Tomasz Puzyn,
• Georgia Melagraki,
• Iseult Lynch and
• Antreas Afantitis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1536–1553, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.121

• -across and QSPR, has been recently introduced and applied to the prediction of NM cytotoxicity [44], power conversion efficiency of organic dyes in dye-sensitized solar cells [45][46], detonation heat for nitrogen containing compounds [47], and to the prediction of surface area of perovskite materials

Strain-induced bandgap engineering in 2D ψ-graphene materials: a first-principles study

• Kamal Kumar,
• Nora H. de Leeuw,
• Jost Adam and
• Abhishek Kumar Mishra

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1440–1452, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.116

• unchanged under the influence of mechanical strain, preserving its initial characteristic of having a direct bandgap. This behavior offers opportunities for these materials in various vital applications in photodetectors, solar cells, LEDs, pressure and strain sensors, energy storage, and quantum computing

• that remains unchanged under mechanical strain. This outcome offers various critical applications of ψ-graphane in photodetectors, solar cells, LEDs, pressure and strain sensors, energy storage, and quantum computing. The mechanical strain tolerance of pristine and fully hydrogenated ψ-graphene is

Lithium niobate on insulator: an emerging nanophotonic crystal for optimized light control

• Midhun Murali,
• Amit Banerjee and
• Tanmoy Basu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1415–1426, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.114

• wavelength-selective nature of DBRs makes them particularly attractive for solar cell applications, where the ability to control the absorption spectrum can lead to significant performance improvements [38][39][40]. Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells are attracting significant research due to their

• potential as a next-generation photovoltaic technology [41][42]. These cells offer a compelling alternative to traditional silicon solar cells because of the low manufacturing cost. Additionally, CQDs possess a unique property – their bandgap can be tuned by adjusting the size of the dots. This allows them

• to capture a wider range of sunlight compared to traditional materials, potentially leading to higher solar energy conversion efficiency [43]. Bae et al. focussed on lead sulfide (PbS) CQDs solar cells where they addressed the major challenge of charge carrier recombination which limits the

Various CVD-grown ZnO nanostructures for nanodevices and interdisciplinary applications

• The-Long Phan,
• Le Viet Cuong,
• Vu Dinh Lam and
• Ngoc Toan Dang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1390–1399, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.112

• ], radio-frequency magnetron sputtering [47], pulsed laser ablation [48], and electrodeposition methods [49]. They have many application potentials in dye-sensitized solar cells [46], self-powered energy-harvesting devices [47], photocatalysts [48], and turbid lenses [50]. It has been suggested that the

Quantum-to-classical modeling of monolayer Ge₂Se₂ and its application in photovoltaic devices

• Anup Shrivastava,
• Shivani Saini,
• Dolly Kumari,
• Sanjai Singh and
• Jost Adam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1153–1169, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.94

• optoelectronic devices, including next-generation solar cells. The hybrid quantum-to-macroscopic methodology presented here applies to broader classes of 2D and 3D materials and structures, showing a path to the computational design of future photovoltaic materials. Keywords: 2D materials; density functional

• theory; hole transport layer; optical properties; solar cells; Introduction Reducing fossil fuels and their harmful environmental impact requires improvements in green, sustainable energy sources. Among the various sources of green energy generation, solar energy has been identified as the most

• promising and expedient because it has the potential to address the current energy demand without making a hazardous impact on the environment [1][2]. Henceforth, researchers have made continuous efforts to design efficient and robust PV devices and solar cells. The systematic study of various solar cells

Simultaneous electrochemical determination of uric acid and hypoxanthine at a TiO₂/graphene quantum dot-modified electrode

• Vu Ngoc Hoang,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Quang Man,
• Le Vu Truong Son,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Vo Thang Nguyen,
• Le Thi Hong Phong,
• Ly Hoang Diem,
• Kieu Chan Ly,
• Ho Sy Thang and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 719–732, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.60

• electrochemistry, combining GQDs with semiconductors, especially TiO2, has been of interest. For example, GQDs have been successfully introduced into TiO2 [17] to enhance its photocatalytic activity. John Peter et al. reported TiO2/GQDs as anodes for enhancing the short-circuit current in solar cells [18]. The

Heat-induced morphological changes in silver nanowires deposited on a patterned silicon substrate

• Elyad Damerchi,
• Sven Oras,
• Edgars Butanovs,
• Allar Liivlaid,
• Mikk Antsov,
• Boris Polyakov,
• Annamarija Trausa,
• Veronika Zadin,
• Andreas Kyritsakis,
• Loïc Vidal,
• Karine Mougin,
• Siim Pikker and
• Sergei Vlassov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 435–446, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.39

• ; silver nanowires; Introduction Metal nanowires (NWs) are promising key elements in a wide range of applications, including solar cells [1], smart windows [2], flexible sensors [3], touch screens [4], biocompatible polymer binders [5], temperature sensing [6], medical materials [7], and key elements of

Controllable physicochemical properties of WO_x thin films grown under glancing angle

• Rupam Mandal,
• Aparajita Mandal,
• Alapan Dutta,
• Rengasamy Sivakumar,
• Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava and
• Tapobrata Som

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 350–359, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.31

• , heterostructures having an n-type WOx layer on various p-type substrates such as p-Si [12][13], Cu2O [14], NiO [15], p-ZnO nanowires (NWs) [16], diamond [17], and BiVO4 [18], have a great technological importance in the field of heterojunction solar cells, LEDs, and resistance random access memory (RRAM) devices

• contacts for solar cells. Conclusion A series of glancing angle-deposited NS-WOx thin films (6–60 nm) on p-Si substrates are investigated to achieve insights into their tuneable structural, optical, and electrical properties, such as crystallinity, bandgap, work function, and diode characteristics. As

CdSe/ZnS quantum dots as a booster in the active layer of distributed ternary organic photovoltaics

• Gabriela Lewińska,
• Piotr Jeleń,
• Zofia Kucia,
• Maciej Sitarz,
• Łukasz Walczak,
• Bartłomiej Szafraniak,
• Jerzy Sanetra and
• Konstanty W. Marszalek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 144–156, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.14

• .15.14 Abstract Organic solar cells are a promising candidate for practical use because of their low material cost and simple production procedures. The challenge is selecting materials with the right properties and how they interrelate in the context of manufacturing the device. This paper presents

• studies on CdSe/ZnS nanodots as dopants in a polymer–fullerene matrix for application in organic solar cells. An assembly of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and 6,6-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester was used as the active reference layer. Absorption and luminescence spectra as well as the dispersion

• ; organic solar cells; quantum dots; Introduction Organic solar cells have been intensively developed in recent years as the third generation [1][2] of photovoltaic cells, next to dye-synthesized solar cells and perovskite cells. One of the relatively novel concepts of organic solar cells that yield higher