Article: University working to create nanostructures to raise thin-film-solar-cell efficiency.

by Ann Steffora Mutschler

Researchers at UCSD (University of California-San Diego) are working to create thin-film, single-junction solar cells with 45% sunlight-to-electricity-conversion efficiencies by using nanostructures that scatter and channel light. UCSD recently received a big funding boost from the US DOE (Department of Energy) Solar America program for this work.

In November 2007, Edward Yu led a team of electrical engineers who won an $885,000 grant from the US DOE to further develop their thin-film and nanowire-solar-cell devices that incorporate nanostructures, including semiconductor quantum wells and photon-scattering nanoparticles. These ...

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