Researchers at UCLA have discovered a way to dramatically improve how electrical current enters perovskite semiconductors, an emerging class of materials with enormous potential for next-generation electronics. Their research is published in the journal Nature Materials.
A longstanding challenge has been the metal–perovskite interface, where electrical current often struggles to pass efficiently from the metal electrode into the semiconductor. This interface behaves like a clogged doorway, wasting energy and slowing device performance.
The research team developed a strategy that makes this transition much easier. By creating a very thin, locally modified region under the metal contact, they enabled electrons to pass through the barrier using a quantum mechanical process called tunneling.
This approach reduces the resistance at the contact by shrinking the "blocked" region from about 250 nanometers to less than 25 nanometers. As a result, current can flow more efficiently at lower voltages.
The discovery could enable faster, lower-power and more reliable perovskite electronic devices, marking an important step toward translating these materials from laboratory research into practical technologies.
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