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January 08, 2006
Ultra thin solar cells promises to be more efficient
Researchers with Berkeley Lab and the University of California, Berkeley, have developed the first ultra-thin solar cells comprised entirely of inorganic nanocrystals and spin-cast from solution.
The manufacturing process of ultra-thin solar panel is currently long and complicated. However, these dual nanocrystal solar cells are as cheap and easy to make as solar cells made from organic polymers and offer the added advantage of being stable in air because they contain no organic materials.
Scientist Ilan Gur is one of the scientists involved. "The thickness of the film of nanocrystals is really important because that is our active layer, that is our active material in the solar cell. And obviously we are making a solar cell, we need to absorb all of the sunlight."
The result: something similar to material used in computer chips in DVDs and CD players.
Heated metal is added to that film. The resulting solar cell is then tested to see how well it would work if it were on a rooftop.
The cells are manufactured similarly to photographic film, which could be a great advantage.
Posted by admin at January 8, 2006 03:24 PM