Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are gaining popularity due to their high efficiency and low-cost fabrication. In recent decades, noticeable research efforts have been devoted to improving the stability of these cells under ambient conditions. Moreover, researchers are exploring new materials and fabrication techniques to enhance the performance of PSCs under various environmental conditions. The mechanical stability of flexible PSCs is another area of research that has gained significant attention. The latest research also focuses on developing tin-based PSCs that can overcome the challenges associated with lead-based perovskites. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in materials, fabrication techniques, and stability enhancement strategies for PSCs. It discusses the recent progress in perovskite crystal structure engineering, device construction, and fabrication procedures that has led to significant improvements in the photo conversion efficiency of these solar devices. The article also highlights the challenges associated with PSCs such as their poor stability under ambient conditions and discusses various strategies employed to enhance their stability. These strategies include the use of novel materials for charge transport layers and encapsulation techniques to protect PSCs from moisture and oxygen. Finally, this article provides a critical assessment of the current state of the art in PSC research and discusses future prospects for this technology. This review concludes that PSCs have great potential as a low-cost alternative to conventional silicon-based solar cells but require further research to improve their stability under ambient conditions in view of their definitive commercialization.

In recent years, the exploitation of compact laser sources and amplifiers in fiber form has found extensive applications in industrial and scientific fields. The fiber format offers compactness, high beam quality through single-mode regime and excellent heat dissipation, thus leading to high laser reliability and long-term stability. The realization of devices based on this technology requires an active medium with high optical gain over a short length to increase efficiency while mitigating nonlinear optical effects. Multicomponent phosphate glasses meet these requirements thanks to the high solubility of rare-earth ions in their glass matrix, alongside with high emission cross-sections, chemical stability and high optical damage threshold. In this paper, we review recent advances in the field thanks to the combination of highly-doped phosphate glasses and innovative fiber drawing techniques. We also present the main performance achievements and outlook both in continuous wave (CW) and pulsed mode regimes.