Researchers in Delaware are working very hard to develop a new technique from an old technique, called photon upconversion.
This technique for capturing the rays of the sun that have yet to be used for energy, uses ultrathin films of gallium and indium. These compounds are deposited in a process called molecular beam epitaxy.
Solar panel electricity generation is booming, with installation of panels up from the mere 10 percent in 2012. Los Angeles based W.M. Keck foundation has provided $1 million dollars in funding for the research team who are developing materials that will utilize two particles, that alone are not large enough to make the grade. The two low-energy particles will, together, make up a photon that will be capable of making the jump across the energy bar, of sorts. Those that do are converted into electricity and those that don’t are lost as heat.
The Ratchet, as the researchers call it, has exceedingly thin semiconductor layers that are capable of coaxing electrons to higher states. Matt Doty, associate professor of materials science and engineering says that this method and configuration of compounds may achieve energy production of 30 percent or more. Conventional panels are not compared at roughly only 22 percent efficiency.
The molecular-beam method can be expensive, so it is important to experiment with different ways of combining energy from low energy protons. The secondary approach being tested engages creating a solution of tailored nano-particles that can be applied like paint. With this paint on the panels, the efficiency may be boosted by up to 3 percentage points, or 25 percent or more, according to Doty, “if we got three percent, I’d be thrilled…”
“Generally, I think it’s a really cool and compelling concept,” says Jennifer Dionne, a Stanford University researcher, but it is not easy to predict the what technology will be used on roof tops to collect and distribute energy. And it is not only about how intriguing the new technology is, but also about the cost involved. The solar panels may cost a bit more, but if they provide a more efficient method of harnessing energy, cutting down on the amount needed will help to cut costs.
