Friday, February 10, 2012

Nanoshells trap light for more efficient solar panels

Nanoshells trap light for more efficient solar panels

Scientists at Stanford are hard at work trying to improve the efficiency and durability of solar panels — two key factors that have kept the Sun from becoming a more popular source of energy. Their latest effort involves nanocrystalline-silicon, a material that has proven resilient and highly conductive, but not very good at absorbing light. Their solution, nanoshells — hollowed out spheres of silicon that trap and recirculate light much like a whispering gallery does sound.

2DayBlog.com, Nanoshells trap light for more efficient solar panels