EPFL scientists have developed a new perovskite material whose magnetic order can be rapidly changed without disrupting it due to heating. This novel material may potentially be used to build next-generation hard drives.

The EPFL team synthesized a ferromagnetic photovoltaic material. This material is a modified version of perovskite, that exhibits unique properties that make it particularly interesting as a material to build next-generation digital storage systems. The researchers explain that they have basically created the first magnetic photoconductor; This new crystal structure combines the advantages of both ferromagnets, whose magnetic moments are aligned in a well-defined order, and photoconductors, where light illumination generates high density free conduction electrons.

Dr. Lioz Etgar obtained his Ph.D. at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, and completed his post-doctoral research with Prof. Michael Grätzel at EPFL, Switzerland. Dr. Etgar was the first to demonstrate the possibility to work with the perovskite as light harvester and hole conductor in the solar cell which result in one of the pioneer publication in this field.

Dr. Etgar is now leading the Perovskite solar lab in the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel. Etgar’s research group focuses on the development of innovative solar cells. Etgar is searching for new excitonic solar cells architectures while designing and controlling the inorganic light harvester structure and properties to improve the photovoltaic parameters. Etgar was kind enough to answer a few questions we had for him.