Eco Factor: Nanostructure with less semiconductor material can reduce cost of solar energy.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have created a novel nanostructure that could lead to low cost solar cells for cost-efficient solar power. The structure makes use of nanopillars that are narrow at the top and thicker at the bottom. The overall structure incorporates less semiconductor material but absorbs light just as well as commercial thin-film solar cells.
The narrow tops of nanopillars allow light to penetrate the array without reflecting off it. The thicker bottom absorbs light more efficiently to generate electricity. The design absorbs 99 percent of visible light, compared to 15 percent that an ordinary flat film of the material is capable of absorbing. The researchers believe that by altering the alignment of the pillars, it could also be possible to make materials that can absorb infrared wavelengths of light, to make better infrared light detectors.
Via: Technology Review
