Solar PV Research:Solar cells consist of layered silicate molecules that contain electrons. When stimulated by sunlight, the electrons in these silicate molecules jump across a 'band gap' creating electrical flow.
The percentage yield of the solar cell is optimized if the photon energy absorbed is equal to the band gap of silicon atoms present in the molecules. As photons of light arrive the silicate molecules in quantities greater than the band gaps, the excess energy is lost as heat--a process that limits the yield of a conventional solar cell. In order to counter this effect, an international team of researchers including physicists from the FOM Foundation, Delft University of Technology and Toyota have used smart nanostructures to increase the yield of solar cells. This research is published in the online edition of Nature Communications. The optimized nanostructures provides the solar cell the ability to produce more electricity and loose less energy in the form of heat.
"This more efficient type of solar cell is easy to produce: the structure of linked nanospheres can be applied to the solar cell as a type of layered paint. Consequently the new solar cells will not only be more efficient but also cheaper than conventional cells." (reference)
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