Less is more for highly absorbing, flexible, cheaper solar cells
A schematic diagram of the light-trapping elements used to optimize absorption within a polymer-embedded silicon wire array (Image: Caltech/Michael Kelzenberg)
Article Summary
Using arrays of long, thin silicon wires embedded in a polymer substrate, a team of researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have created a new type of flexible solar cell. Promising enhanced sunlight absorption and efficient conversion of photons into electrons, the new solar cell uses only a fraction of the expensive semiconductor materials required by conventional solar cells, and because they are flexible, they will be cheaper to manufacture.
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