Scientists at Kyushu University have developed a novel solid-state material capable of converting visible sunlight into higher-energy ultraviolet (UV) light under normal outdoor conditions, marking a significant advance in solar-powered technology. The breakthrough, published in Nature Communications on 23 June, uses a process known as photo upconversion, in which the energy from two visible-light photons is combined to produce a single UV photon. The new material achieved a visible-to-UV upconversion efficiency of 1.9%, a level the researchers say is sufficient while using natural sunlight alone.
