| Apr 20, 2026 |
A joint report tracks the rapid growth of perovskite solar cell research since 2012 and highlights tandem architectures that exceed silicon efficiency ceilings.
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(Nanowerk News) A joint report (A New Roadmap to Future Solar Innovation – How University Research and Data‑Driven Analysis Are Shaping the Future of Energy) from Sungkyunkwan University and Clarivate documents the sharp acceleration of perovskite solar cell research since 2012, when the first stable solid-state perovskite device was successfully built. Drawing on Web of Science data covering publications from 2010 to 2025, the report maps technological progress, national research output, and emerging trends across the field. It was prepared by Professor Nam-Gyu Park’s research group in the Department of Chemical Engineering, the university’s Performance Analysis Team, and Clarivate.
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Key Findings
- Global perovskite solar cell research has expanded rapidly since 2012, with China, the United States, and South Korea producing the highest publication volumes.
- Tandem cell architectures combining perovskite and silicon absorbers have exceeded the theoretical efficiency ceiling of single-junction silicon devices.
- Sungkyunkwan University ranks among the top global institutions in publication output, citation impact, and share of top 1% highly cited papers in the field.
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Perovskite solar cells absorb light efficiently across a broad spectrum, can be fabricated at lower temperatures than conventional silicon panels, and lend themselves to lightweight, flexible form factors. Since the 2012 solid-state device, laboratory efficiency has climbed at an unusually fast rate, positioning perovskites as a realistic candidate to complement or eventually replace established silicon photovoltaics.
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| Diverse device architecture and efficiency progress in perovskite solar cells. (Image: Sungkyunkwan University)
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The report covers the physical principles behind perovskite absorber materials, the evolution of device architectures from early liquid-junction cells to modern solid-state designs, and the competitive landscape among research-producing nations. An analysis of output by country shows that China, the United States, and South Korea lead in total publications. Sungkyunkwan University itself scores highly on multiple performance indicators, including citation impact and the proportion of papers that rank in the top one percent by citation count.
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Tandem solar cells receive particular attention. By stacking a perovskite absorber on top of a silicon cell, researchers capture a wider slice of the solar spectrum than either material manages alone. Recent laboratory tandem devices have already surpassed the efficiency limits that constrain single-junction silicon, and the report identifies these multi-junction designs as a likely route toward commercial-scale deployment.
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The report also frames perovskite technology within broader carbon neutrality and ESG objectives. Lower energy requirements during manufacturing, reduced raw material consumption, and the option to deposit perovskite films on flexible substrates open applications that rigid silicon panels cannot easily serve — building-integrated photovoltaics, portable power, and lightweight modules for transport, among others.
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Professor Nam-Gyu Park stated, “As future energy systems are expected to be largely electrified, the importance of electrification technologies continues to grow. Solar energy, which produces no carbon emissions, is anticipated to play a central role in the future energy landscape. In this context, low-cost, high-efficiency perovskite solar cells are expected to serve as a key technology in the next-generation energy society. Sungkyunkwan University has played a pivotal role from the early conceptual development to technological advancements in this field, and will continue to lead global research efforts.”
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Clarivate and Sungkyunkwan University plan to co-host a global webinar in June to present the report’s findings. As tandem efficiencies continue to climb and fabrication methods mature, the data compiled in this report suggests that perovskite solar cells are moving steadily from laboratory promise toward industrial reality.
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