Novel Concentrating Nanoscale Solar Cells

APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY:

Nanoscale solar cells ADVANTAGES:

Multi-junction absorption efficiencies with easier fabrication Promises simpler installation than conventional cell/concentrator combinations Can be flexible

DESCRIPTION:

Researchers at Berkeley Lab are using photonic principles to develop solar cell/concentrator devices. The nanoscale cells take advantage of the fact that a solar cell’s efficiency increases under concentrated light. The materials can be tailored to absorb light at a wide range of energies, creating a multi-gap device without expensive multi-junction processing.

The materials necessary to make these thin-film cells are less expensive than conventional solar cell materials. In addition, the innovative solar cell/concentrator construction will offer simpler installation, and possibly enable small and even residential photovoltaic projects to exploit the advantages of the concentrator concept.

Inventor(s): Alex Zettl, Jeffrey Grossman

Type of Offer: Licensing



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