Perovskite Breakthrough Promises Sharper Images for Humans and Machines

Perovskite image sensors developed at ETH Zurich

Published by Quantum Server Networks – June 2025

Silicon image sensors have long dominated the digital imaging world, powering smartphones, cameras, and scientific instruments. But their architecture comes with a trade-off: only one-third of the light is captured by each pixel, due to the RGB filter system that blocks out non-targeted wavelengths. Researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa have now unveiled a disruptive alternative—perovskite-based image sensors that promise triple the light sensitivity and resolution.

How Perovskites Redefine Color Sensing

The innovation is led by Professor Maksym Kovalenko and his team, who have developed a method to fabricate image sensors using layered perovskite semiconductors. Each layer absorbs a specific wavelength of light based on its chemical composition—iodine-rich perovskite captures red, bromine for green, and chlorine for blue. Unlike silicon sensors that require side-by-side pixel mosaics and filters, these perovskite layers are stacked vertically, allowing all incoming light to pass through and be utilized efficiently.

This design means that each pixel can detect all three primary colors simultaneously, resulting in three times the light sensitivity and vastly improved spatial resolution. The approach also eliminates common digital image artifacts like demosaicing and the moiré effect.

From Lab to Device: Functional Prototypes

While previous perovskite sensor demonstrations relied on oversized single crystals, the ETH Zurich team has now fabricated two thin-film sensor prototypes using scalable industrial techniques. Each prototype uses a different readout method, but both successfully demonstrate enhanced performance in color accuracy, light sensitivity, and resolution compared to silicon-based counterparts.

“We’re moving from proof-of-concept to practical applications,” explains Kovalenko. Co-author Sergii Yakunin adds that perovskite's tunability allows for highly selective color channel design, which is critical not only for consumer imaging but also for advanced machine vision and hyperspectral applications.

Beyond RGB: Hyperspectral Imaging and AI Applications

Conventional RGB sensors are limited by the human eye’s perception, but many industrial and scientific tasks require more nuanced spectral detection. Perovskites offer a clear advantage here, enabling multiple distinct color channels in a single sensor stack. This flexibility makes them ideal for use in hyperspectral imaging—an essential tool in medical diagnostics, agricultural monitoring, and environmental science.

Hyperspectral perovskite sensors could provide clearer data for machine vision systems and AI algorithms, helping detect subtle differences in tissue composition or soil health, for example, by using tailored wavelength sensitivities beyond the standard RGB format.

Outlook: A New Era of Image Sensing

ETH Zurich’s work marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of image sensor technology. Though pixel sizes in their prototypes are currently in the sub-millimeter range, the researchers believe further miniaturization is not only possible, but likely to outperform silicon. They are now focused on refining the sensor’s electronics and integrating the technology into existing device architectures.

This research opens the door to more sensitive cameras, smarter sensors, and entirely new imaging capabilities for both humans and machines. With continued development, perovskite image sensors could become the gold standard in everything from smartphones to AI-powered diagnostic tools.

Original article by ETH Zurich: https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2025/06/better-images-for-humans-and-computers.html

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#Perovskite #ImageSensors #Optoelectronics #HyperspectralImaging #MaterialsScience #MachineVision #AIImaging #ETHZurich #QuantumServerNetworks #AdvancedMaterials

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