Navigation Links
Nanowires may boost solar cell efficiency, UC San Diego engineers say
Date:5/14/2008

University of California, San Diego electrical engineers have created experimental solar cells spiked with nanowires that could lead to highly efficient thin-film solar cells of the future.

Indium phosphide (InP) nanowires can serve as electron superhighways that carry electrons kicked loose by photons of light directly to the devices electron-attracting electrode and this scenario could boost thin-film solar cell efficiency, according to research recently published in NanoLetters.

The new design increases the number of electrons that make it from the light-absorbing polymer to an electrode. By reducing electron-hole recombination, the UC San Diego engineers have demonstrated a way to increases the efficiency with which sunlight can be converted to electricity in thin-film photovoltaics.

Including nanowires in the experimental solar cell increased the forward bias current which is a measure of electrical current by six to seven orders of magnitude as compared to their polymer-only control device, the engineers found.

The online journal NanoLetters published this new work on polymer/nanowire hybrid photovoltaics in February 2008.

If you provide electrons with a defined pathway to the electrode, you can reduce some of the inefficiencies that currently plague thin-film solar cells made from polymer mixtures. More efficient transport of electrons and holes collectively known as carriers is critical for creating more efficient solar cells, said Clint Novotny the first author of the NanoLetters paper, and a recent electrical engineering Ph.D. from UC San Diegos Jacobs School of Engineering. Novotny is now working on solar technologies at BAE Systems.

Keep reading for more details on this project. To learn about another hot solar cell research on the nano-scale from electrical engineers at UC San Diego go to:

Contact: Daniel Kane
dbkane@ucsd.edu
858-534-3262
University of California - San Diego
Source:Eurekalert  

1

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3 4

Related biology technology :

1. Spiraling nanotrees offer new twist on growth of nanowires
2. Engineers make first active matrix display using nanowires
3. Carbon nanotubes outperform copper nanowires as interconnects
4. Chemists measure copper levels in zinc oxide nanowires
5. High Q NIST nanowires may be practical oscillators
6. Carbon nanotubes to be replaced by MoSIx nanowires in high-tech devices says new study
7. LifeQuest World Launches Immune System Boosting Supplement to the North American Market
8. Biomatricas PCRboost(TM) Enables 5-Fold Improvement in Amplification of Difficult Samples
9. Boost for Malaria Vaccine Development by Combining Strengths of Dutch and American Researchers
10. Advanced Energy Consortium will develop micro and nanosensors to boost energy production
11. Three Steps to Boost Asymchems Investment in China
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
Nanowires may boost solar cell efficiency, UC San Diego engineers say
Nanowires may boost solar cell efficiency, UC San Diego engineers say
(Date:10/3/2008)...Symbol: MS, EDMONTON, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCal...loper in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS),...Monitoring Board (DSMB) for the,Company,s U.S. piv...8298),in patients with secondary progressive MS ha... the trial continue as per the protocol., This wa...
(Date:10/3/2008)...or Ap3ana, CTI,s ,personalized medicine, venture, ...erapeutics, Inc. (CTI),(Nasdaq: CTIC ) announced ...t recently President and COO of a Tyr Pharma and f...mics Institute of the Novartis Research,Foundation... Bresso, Italy,CTI Europe currently conducts the ...
(Date:10/2/2008)...2 /- Helix BioPharma,Corp. ... its private,placement announced on September 30, ...ss proceeds totaling CDN$11,424,000., Each unit c...mmon share,purchase warrant, with each whole commo...urchase, subject to adjustment, one common share a...
(Date:10/2/2008)...Provides Business Update to Investors, WILMINGTON...today at an,investor conference, DuPont Vice Presi...ny,s plans to bring its two advanced biofuels prog... technical progress toward the,commercialization o...stocks,economically into biofuels., "Biobutanol a...
Breaking Biology Technology:BioMS Medical's phase III U.S. multiple sclerosis trial receives positive safety review from Data Safety Monitoring Board 2Former Scientific Director at Genomics Institute of Novartis Research Foundation Named President of Cell Therapeutics Europe 2Former Scientific Director at Genomics Institute of Novartis Research Foundation Named President of Cell Therapeutics Europe 3Former Scientific Director at Genomics Institute of Novartis Research Foundation Named President of Cell Therapeutics Europe 4Helix Biopharma Closes $11.4 Million Private Placement 2DuPont Meeting Significant 2008 Milestones in Progressing Advanced Biofuels 2DuPont Meeting Significant 2008 Milestones in Progressing Advanced Biofuels 3
...ggests Wisconsin is slowly making progress when it...judged by indicators such as producing patents, in...reating high-tech jobs. The natural question: Why ...ut a variety of factors promise more progress pro...ion. , ,The report, commissioned by the Wisconsin...
...olumn over the last few years knows about my prope...e information into tidy boxes in some meaningful o...out of the information for myself). While my list ...ow enlightened me about how lists could be used to...n one of my companies, I even adapted the Letterma...
...y to pick up a pizza the other night. I ran into ...rbis, the massive digital image library. Doug is...g product for digital pictures. , ,If, like me, yo...red on your mobile phone the moment for sharing ha...package provides everything you need to create a t...
...chnology-wise has already been invented. I,ve been...last 15 years about technology innovation, and the... all that innovation. From a quick look into the i...ular soapbox is getting crowded. Pick up any indus...ons about process, best practices, business alignm...
Other Biology Technology:Heres why Wisconsins tech economy indicators are up 2Heres why Wisconsins tech economy indicators are up 3Though Weakening, Biotech IPO Market Still Viable, Burril & Co. Says 2Though Weakening, Biotech IPO Market Still Viable, Burril & Co. Says 3Though Weakening, Biotech IPO Market Still Viable, Burril & Co. Says 4ZoomAlbum operates virtually 2ZoomAlbum operates virtually 3The end of technology history 2The end of technology history 3
(Date:10/6/2008)...722; The American Physiological Society has establ...estricted grants of up to $2,000 to support physio...o suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Ike. Th...nd also affected other areas of the country. , T... are either APS members or working in the laborato...
(Date:10/5/2008)...rnal of Cell Biology how the altered behavior of ...cells., On 2D surfaces, cells may migrate randoml... link the cell to the extracellular matrix, are kn...y how has been unclear. Recent work has suggested ...t, while an integrin called avb3 has been associat...
(Date:10/5/2008)...sts report online this week in Nature that they ...ells to a gene associated with Crohn,s disease, an...lammatory bowel disorder. , The link to immune c...y School of Medicine in St. Louis because they and...rected immune responses in the intestine that dama...
(Date:10/3/2008)...008)Researchers from Harvard Medical School and th...how beetles and bacteria form a symbiotic and mutu... the destruction of pine forests. In addition, the...this whole phenomenon. , The context of this di... includes some of the most unlikely characters and...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Form of Crohn's disease traced to disabled gut cells 2Cross kingdom conflicts on a beetle's back 2Cross kingdom conflicts on a beetle's back 3Peripheral Arterial Disease to be Treated With New Medicated Stent in Trial at Montefiore 517 1Peripheral Arterial Disease to be Treated With New Medicated Stent in Trial at Montefiore 517 2Cryo Cell International Inc Reports Third Quarter 2007 Results 3697 1Cryo Cell International Inc Reports Third Quarter 2007 Results 3697 2Cryo Cell International Inc Reports Third Quarter 2007 Results 3697 3Cryo Cell International Inc Reports Third Quarter 2007 Results 3697 4Cryo Cell International Inc Reports Third Quarter 2007 Results 3697 5Nyer Medical Group Inc Reports EPS of 24 02 on Record Revenues of 2469 9 Million for Fiscal Year Ended 2007 3692 1Nyer Medical Group Inc Reports EPS of 24 02 on Record Revenues of 2469 9 Million for Fiscal Year Ended 2007 3692 2Nyer Medical Group Inc Reports EPS of 24 02 on Record Revenues of 2469 9 Million for Fiscal Year Ended 2007 3692 3Nyer Medical Group Inc Reports EPS of 24 02 on Record Revenues of 2469 9 Million for Fiscal Year Ended 2007 3692 4Americas Top Hospitals Are Real Lifesavers 3690 1Americas Top Hospitals Are Real Lifesavers 3690 2
...have discovered a vast network of neurons in the b...s the effects of reproductive status on other brai...ound neural circuits that coordinate a complex int...nd brain areas that carry the neural signals trigg...heromones, chemical signals produced by animals. T...
...ntified two new genes that operate as regulators i...ococcus aureus , one of the bacteria most frequent...ts, and has explained the functioning of a structu... was the subject of a PhD thesis recently defended...IC and Public University of Navarra centre, and is...
...ngi, such as white rot, are particularly harmful f... Soil samples are investigated to detect this; a l...with the Laboratory for Nematology (University of ...ular technique to detect the stem nematode and whi... Blgg will start using the new system in November ...
...herapy (HAART) for HIV infection remain susceptibl...or HIV-infected patients not on HAART, according t...ctious Diseases, now available online. , Opportun...fatal for immunocompromised patients. HAART not on...n helps to keep other infections such as TB under ...
Other Biology News:The brain is broadly wired for reproduction 2The brain is broadly wired for reproduction 3The brain is broadly wired for reproduction 4The brain is broadly wired for reproduction 5Genes involved in biofilms 2DNA technique measures suitability of soil for onion crops 2Tuberculosis still a risk for patients receiving HIV drugs 2
RatTRAPTM Assay is a solid-phase immunofixed enzyme activity assay for the determination of osteoclast-derived TRACP 5b activity in rat serum.
...EnzChek Pyrophosphate Detection Kit,provides a fas...ethod for measuring the inorganic pyrophosphate (P..., such as DNA and,RNA polymerizations, cyclic AMP ...enzymatic activation of fatty acids to,form their ...
...ose Gel-Digesting Preparation contains a unique &b...RE for simple, quantitative recovery of intact DNA... following electrophoresis in TAE, TBE, MOPS, or p... in the TAE, TBE, MOPS, and phosphate electrophore...
Request Info
Biology Products: