Physicists create electron 'catapult' that moves particles through solar material at record speed
By Skyler Ware
Published on March 21, 2026.
A study by the University of Cambridge has found that vibrations in solar materials can move electrons across solar materials faster than previously thought. The findings could help scientists find more efficient ways to convert solar energy into electricity. The study used a short laser pulse to excite the electron donor, a polymer called TS-P3, and a different laser to measure how the system changed during charge transfer. Charge transfer happened in 18 femtoseconds, about as fast as an individual molecule vibrates, compared to several systems that take over 100 to 200 femtosconds. The research could help explain the processes that control the speed of charge transfer and establish new strategies for designing more efficient organic solar cells and materials.
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