V-shaped solar cells

As solar cells continue to be more important asrenewable energy sources, affordable techniques for producing solarcells will be in demand. Peumans, a scientist at Stanford University,and his colleagues Seung-Bum Rim, Shanbin Zhao, Shawn R. Scully andMichael D. McGehee describe one such technique to increase solar cellefficiency: v-shaped cells.

Peumans explaine that most organicsolar cells are made on planar substrates. "When the light hits it,there is only one bounce - only once chance for the light to beabsorbed. The v-shape, he continues, creates an environment in whichthe light can bounce around. "Every time the light bounces, it has achance to be absorbed into the cell."

While organic cells would likely need furtherdevelopment to become practical for large-scale electrical powergeneration uses in grids, the idea of a v-shaped solar cell could beincorporated into existing then film solar cells.

Source: physorg.comAdded: 7 January 2008