Advances in Next Generation Photoelectric Conversion Materials, Devices, and Equipment

Dear Colleagues,

Next-generation photoelectric conversion technologies are at the center of the global effort to achieve sustainable and efficient energy systems. The advances in materials, devices, and equipment that employ these technologies represent a rapidly evolving frontier that bridges fundamental research and industrial innovation. These technologies could enable the establishment of high-efficiency, low-cost, and versatile energy conversion solutions—paving the way for a new era of clean-, decentralized-, and sustainable-energy technologies. Emerging materials such as metal halide perovskites, organic semiconductors, quantum dots, and two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) offer unique advantages such as light absorption, a tunable bandgap, and compatibility with flexible substrates.

On the device level, efforts are underway to develop tandem architectures, flexible thin-film modules, and multifunctional optoelectronic systems. These devices not only aim for higher efficiency, but also integrate features such as transparency; lightweight form factors; and adaptability to wearable electronics, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and smart energy systems. Meanwhile, advances in manufacturing and equipment are playing a decisive role in translating laboratory-scale breakthroughs into scalable, reliable, and cost-effective technologies, and techniques such as roll-to-roll printing, slot-die coating, and large-area thin-film deposition are paving the way toward mass production. In addition, encapsulation technologies, accelerated aging tests, and inline quality-control equipment are essential for addressing the challenges of long-term stability, environmental safety, and reproducibility.

This Special Issue aims to present the most recent advances in materials, devices, and equipment employing next-generation photoelectric conversion technologies.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Material Innovation

• Metal halide perovskites: stability, toxicity mitigation, and lead-free alternatives.
• Organic photovoltaics (OPV) and non-fullerene acceptors.
• Materials, fabrication, encapsulation, and other aspects of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).
• Quantum dots, nanocrystals, and hybrid composites for broadband absorption.
• Two-dimensional materials (graphene and TMDs) for charge transport and interface engineering.
• Novel transparent conductors and passivation layers.
• Advanced encapsulation and barrier materials for durability.

2. Device Architectures and Performance

• Single-junction and tandem (e.g., perovskite/silicon and all-perovskite) solar cells.
• Flexible, lightweight, and wearable photovoltaic devices.
• Low-light photovoltaic devices.
• Transparent or semi-transparent PV for building integration (BIPV).
• Multi-functional optoelectronic devices (PV + sensors, PV + storage, and PV + photodetectors).
• Strategies for enhancing power conversion efficiency and long-term operational stability.

3. Advances in Fabrication and Equipment

• Low-cost, scalable fabrication methods (solution processing, roll-to-roll, slot-die coating, and vapor deposition).
• Printing technologies for large-area devices and flexible substrates.
• Inline metrology, defect detection, and quality control during manufacturing.
• Accelerated-life-testing equipment and reliability assessment methodologies.
• Integration of artificial intelligence and digital twins for process optimization.

4. System Integration and Applications

• Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and urban energy harvesting.
• Photovoltaics for IoT, self-powered sensors, and wearable electronics.
• Hybrid energy systems (PV + storage, PV + thermal, and PV + hydrogen generation).
• Recycling, life-cycle assessment, and sustainable manufacturing pathways.

5. Emerging Frontiers

• New material paradigms (ferroelectric photovoltaics, topological semiconductors, and singlet fission systems).
• Multi-functional devices enabling photodetection, imaging, or communication beyond energy generation.
• Discovery of AI/ML-driven materials and device optimization.
• Techno-economic analysis and roadmaps for commercialization.

Dr. Chinhsiang Chen
Guest Editor

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• metal halide perovskites
• organic semiconductors
• quantum dots (QD)
• two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)
• dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)
• PV for building integration (BIPV)