3D Photonic Crystals Could Improve Solar Cells

Aug-03-11 Researchers have developed high quality 3D photonic crystals that can improve the performance of most optical devices, and are creating solar cells based on the structures.

Photonic crystals can control light in a very precise way, and 3D crystals would be able to control light in all dimensions. The team from the University of Illinois grew the crystals from the bottom up on a template of packed nanoscale spheres. A series of gasses is deposited on the template and grow around the spheres, which are carefully removed and leave behind the crystalline gallium dotted with nanoscale holes.

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[TECHNOLOGYREVIEW.COM]
[UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS]

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