- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Smart Crystals Flex and Rebound Under Light
Halide perovskite crystals exhibit reversible shape-shifting behavior when exposed to light, opening new possibilities for light-powered devices.
Apr. 13, 2026 at 7:40am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Perovskite crystals' ability to flex and rebound under light could unlock a new era of light-powered, energy-efficient technologies.Davis TodayResearchers at the University of California, Davis have discovered that halide perovskite crystals, a promising new class of materials, can flex and rebound when exposed to light. This reversible shape-shifting behavior, observed through X-ray analysis, suggests perovskites could be used to create light-powered actuators, sensors, and other innovative devices across industries like robotics and healthcare.
Why it matters
Perovskites are a hybrid of organic and inorganic components, making them cheaper and more versatile than traditional semiconductors like silicon. Their ability to change shape in response to light could revolutionize optoelectronics and solar cell technology, leading to breakthroughs in renewable energy, precision engineering, and more.
The details
By shining lasers on perovskite crystals and observing their atomic structure with X-rays, the research team led by Marina Leite revealed a dramatic and reversible lattice shift within the material's cubic structure. This light-induced shape change is repeatable and controllable, suggesting perovskites could act as light-driven actuators - devices that move or change shape in response to light, without the need for electricity.
- The experiments were conducted in 2026 by graduate student Mansha Dubey at the University of California, Davis.
The players
Marina Leite
The lead researcher on the perovskite crystal experiments at the University of California, Davis.
Mansha Dubey
A graduate student at the University of California, Davis who conducted the experiments observing the light-induced shape changes in perovskite crystals.
What they’re saying
“Perovskites are 'smart materials,' and I couldn't agree more. Their unique structure, a cubic lattice with an octahedral core, allows them to respond to stimuli in ways that silicon simply can't.”
— Marina Leite, Lead Researcher
What’s next
The research team plans to further explore how the chemical composition of perovskites can be tuned to control their light-driven shape-shifting behavior, with the goal of developing new light-powered devices and technologies.
The takeaway
This discovery of perovskite crystals' reversible shape-shifting under light challenges our traditional understanding of materials and opens up exciting new possibilities for sustainable, energy-efficient technologies powered by light rather than electricity.
