“Promising” and “remarkable” are two words U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory scientist Javier Vela uses to describe recent research results on organolead mixed-halide perovskites.

A hybrid form of perovskite - the same type of material which has recently been found to make highly efficient solar cells that could one day replace silicon - has been used to make low-cost, easily manufactured LEDs, potentially opening up a wide range of commercial applications in future, such as flexible colour displays.