Research

Metal halide perovskites are a class of crystalline materials that have gained significant attention for their application in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices. They have the general formula ABX₃, where 'A' is a cation (often an organic molecule like methylammonium (CH₃NH₃⁺) or an inorganic cation like cesium), 'B' is a metal cation (typically lead (Pb) or tin (Sn)), and 'X' is a halide anion (chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), or iodine (I)).

Perovskite is a material that is expected to have applications in solar cells and X-ray detectors, but for practical use, it is necessary to establish a process that can reproducibly produce it in practical-level sizes with high-quality. Dr. Haruta has been working on the deposition of various perovskite materials using a coating technique called mist deposition, and has been engaged in elucidating their growth mechanisms.

Single crystals, compared to polycrystalline thin films, have a lower density of defects and sufficient thickness, making them subjects of research for applications as detectors for X-rays and gamma rays. At Makhsud I. Saidaminov's Lab at the University of Victoria, I developed a flux-regulated crystallization (FRC) method to realize a reproducible synthesis of high-quality perovskite single crystals. The crystals grown by the FRC are now on sale at AY Sensors Inc.