Navigation Links
1 in, 2 out: Simulating more efficient solar cells
Date:1/28/2013

Using an exotic form of silicon could substantially improve the efficiency of solar cells, according to computer simulations by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in Hungary. The work was published Jan. 25 in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Solar cells are based on the photoelectric effect: a photon, or particle of light, hits a silicon crystal and generates a negatively charged electron and a positively charged hole. Collecting those electron-hole pairs generates electric current.

Conventional solar cells generate one electron-hole pair per incoming photon, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency of 33 percent. One exciting new route to improved efficiency is to generate more than one electron-hole pair per photon, said Giulia Galli, professor of chemistry at UC Davis and co-author of the paper.

"This approach is capable of increasing the maximum efficiency to 42 percent, beyond any solar cell available today, which would be a pretty big deal," said lead author Stefan Wippermann, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis.

"In fact, there is reason to believe that if parabolic mirrors are used to focus the sunlight on such a new-paradigm solar cell, its efficiency could reach as high as 70 percent," Wippermann said.

Galli said that nanoparticles have a size of nanometers, typically just a few atoms across. Because of their small size, many of their properties are different from bulk materials. In particular, the probability of generating more than one electron-hole pair is much enhanced, driven by an effect called "quantum confinement." Experiments to explore this paradigm are being pursued by researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., as well as at UC Davis.

"But with nanoparticles of conventional silicon, the paradigm works only in ultraviolet light," Wippermann said. "This new approach will become useful on
'/>"/>

Contact: Andy Fell
ahfell@ucdavis.edu
530-752-4533
University of California - Davis
Source:Eurekalert  

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology technology :

1. Evolution inspires more efficient solar cell design
2. Molecular machine could hold key to more efficient manufacturing
3. UCLA engineers develop new energy-efficient computer memory using magnetic materials
4. Ben-Gurion University develops side-illuminated ultra-efficient solar cell designs
5. Highly efficient production of advanced biofuel by metabolically engineered microorganism
6. IBC 2012: New standard HEVC encodes films more efficiently
7. Increased productivity, not less energy use, results from more efficient lighting
8. Reno Efficient Sustainable Practices Selected to Provide Water and Energy Conservation Services To the County of San Diego
9. Stanford engineers perfecting carbon nanotubes for highly energy-efficient computing
10. Butamax Granted Core Patent for Making Biobutanol and Distillers Grains; Offers Producers Efficient, Low-Cost Production of Biobutanol
11. UCLA team develops highly efficient method for creating flexible, transparent electrodes
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
1 in, 2 out: Simulating more efficient solar cells
(Date:5/23/2013)... Bed bugs already cost Alton Housing Authority thousands. And as ... from kmov.com suggested that the said office might need to ... be of help, My Cleaning Products gave tips how to ... service. , The report, which was posted on May ... $35,000 for bed bug elimination, My Cleaning Products shared. ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... May 23, 2013 Watlow®, an ... complete thermal systems, recently introduced its new catalog, ... of experience in designing and manufacturing industrial heaters, ... products to serve diverse customer needs. , A ... at the beginning of the book. These options ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... DE (PRWEB) May 23, 2013 Just released ... by executive coach and author Barbara Roche: “Commit to Confidence: ... Out.” , Filled with helpful tips and quotes from the ... business leaders, and tangible exercises that readers can do on ... how to achieve their personal and professional goals. ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... 22, 2013 Industry leaders from ... for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Biosurveillance ... place at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. Held ... 2013 conference on June 18 - 19. ... AdSave, American Elements, Applied Research Associates, ARA, AttaGene, ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Bed Bug Exterminator Service Could Cost AHA $250K, My Cleaning Products Gives Tips How to Save Apartments from Costly Bed Bug Treatment 2Watlow Introduces Its New Industrial Heater Catalog 2Biodetection Technologies 2013 and Oak Ridge National Lab’s Biosurveillance Symposium to Bring Together Leading Organizations in Alexandria, VA from June 17-19, 2013 2Biodetection Technologies 2013 and Oak Ridge National Lab’s Biosurveillance Symposium to Bring Together Leading Organizations in Alexandria, VA from June 17-19, 2013 3Biodetection Technologies 2013 and Oak Ridge National Lab’s Biosurveillance Symposium to Bring Together Leading Organizations in Alexandria, VA from June 17-19, 2013 4Biodetection Technologies 2013 and Oak Ridge National Lab’s Biosurveillance Symposium to Bring Together Leading Organizations in Alexandria, VA from June 17-19, 2013 5
... (NASDAQ: SIAL ) today announced the opening ... provide localized packaging, analytical services and quality control for ... customers in the region. "Over the last ... now we are viewing a similar expansion in China,s ...
... Health Improvement and Technology (FHIT), www.fhit.org , ... the mission to rid the world of preventable ... promoting early detection and aggressive medical treatment. ... it entirely possible to detect many of the ...
... Inc. (NASDAQ: GNVC ) announced financial results for ... the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company reported a ... with a net loss of $12.3 million, or $0.97 per ... the year with $26.4 million in cash, cash equivalents, and ...
Cached Biology Technology:Sigma-Aldrich Opens New Wuxi Packaging and Quality Control Facilities to Enhance Capabilities Serving China and Asia-Pacific Region 2Sigma-Aldrich Opens New Wuxi Packaging and Quality Control Facilities to Enhance Capabilities Serving China and Asia-Pacific Region 3Foundation for Health Improvement and Technology (FHIT) Launched to Beat Cardiovascular Disease 2GenVec Reports Fourth Quarter and 2011 Year-End Financial Results 2GenVec Reports Fourth Quarter and 2011 Year-End Financial Results 3GenVec Reports Fourth Quarter and 2011 Year-End Financial Results 4GenVec Reports Fourth Quarter and 2011 Year-End Financial Results 5GenVec Reports Fourth Quarter and 2011 Year-End Financial Results 6
(Date:5/21/2013)... in the body, stem cells in the blood ... into mature immune cells that can fight off ... these cell populations, potentially leading to the development ... a team of researchers led by biologists at ... that, in mouse models, the molecule microRNA-146a (miR-146a) ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... new method for delivering molecules into single, targeted ... The technique could find applications in drug delivery, ... electroporation a technique used to deliver molecules ... membrane that are caused by exposing them to ... of cell transfection. (Cell transfection is the introduction ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... of Michigan Water Center today awarded 12 research ... restoration and protection efforts. , The two-year grants ... including efforts to track the remediation of harmful ... control non-native weedy plant invasions; study chromosomal damage ... to restoration activities. , The grants were awarded ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Keeping stem cells strong 2Single-cell transfection tool enables added control for biological studies 2U-M Water Center awards $570K in Great Lakes restoration grants 2U-M Water Center awards $570K in Great Lakes restoration grants 3U-M Water Center awards $570K in Great Lakes restoration grants 4
... a novel technique to better understand mineral growth and ... National Laboratory are improving predictions of mineral reactions and ... pipes clear to sequestering radium. The mineral barite ... but also because it is the dominant scale-forming mineral ...
... Ind. - Greenhouse bedding plant growers can save themselves ... propagation more light, according to a Purdue University study. ... Africa to start spring bedding plants in greenhouses during ... temperatures make propagation time- and energy-intensive. Roberto Lopez, ...
... German . Mate competition by males ... mating season male testosterone levels rise, resulting in an ... however, invest much more into friendly relationships with females. ... increased tendency towards forming pair-relationships. Bonobos are among ...
Cached Biology News:Metadynamics technique offers insight into mineral growth and dissolution 2Study shines light on ways to cut costs for greenhouse growers 2Bonobos' unusual success story 2
... This programmable system automates the denaturation ... and provides walk-away convenience for clinical and ... a wide range of sample types, is ... by more than 50% while ensuring overall ...
... Buffer is a convenient, premixed, ... samples and Perfect RNA Markers. ... no dilution and is suitable ... Simply mix equal volumes of ...
... in DMEM and harvested at the log phase ... antigens in their native forms, cells were fixed ... a 12-well (5 mm) adhesive coated slide, with ... attachment and to minimize background staining. Each ...
ID clarifier: Without ethidium bromide...
Biology Products: