Nanotechnology in Solar Cells

How can nanotechnology improve solar cells

Using nanoparticles in the manufacture of solar cells has the following benefits:

• Reduced manufacturing costs as a result of using a low temperature process similar to printing instead of the high temperature vacuum deposition process typically used to produce conventional cells made with crystalline semiconductor material.

• Reduced installation costs achieved by producing flexible rolls instead of rigid crystalline panels. Cells made from semiconductor thin films will also have this characteristic.

• Currently available nanotechnology solar cells are not as efficient as traditional ones, however their lower cost offsets this. In the long term nanotechnology versions should both be lower cost and, using quantum dots, should be able to reach higher efficiency levels than conventional ones.

Solar Cells: Nanotechnology Applications under Development

Titanium dioxide nanotubes filled with a polymer to form low cost solar cells

Combining lead selenide quantum dots with titanium dioxide to form higher higher efficiency solar cells.

Combining carbon nanotubes, bucky-balls and polymers to produce inexpensive solar cells that can be formed by simply painting a surface.

Researchers at Stanford University have found a way to trap light in organic solar cells. The idea is that the longer light is in the solar cell the more electrons will be generated. The researchers found that by making the organic layer much thinner than the wavelength of light and sandwiching the organic layer between a mirror layer and a rough layer the light stayed in the solar cell longer and excited more electrons.

Nanoparticles in plastic film to form solar cells that can be incorporated into cases for devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers.

Semiconductor nanoparticles applied in a low temperature printing process that results in low cost solar cells.

Organic molecules to lower costs.

Using light absorbing nanowires embedded in a flexible polymer film is another method being developed to produce low cost flexible solar panels.

Using light absorbing graphene sheets to produce low cost solar panels

Organic solar cells that are self repairing

Organic solar cells that can be applied by spray painting, possibly turning the surface of a car into a solar cell.

Solar cells that can be installed as a coating on windows or other building materials, referred to as "Building Integrated Photovoltaic's".

Solar Cells: Nanotechnology Company Directory

Other Energy Related Pages

• Fuel Cells
• Batteries
• Fuel
• Dressing Up: Thermoelectric Nanowires vs. Nano Solar Cells
• Nanotechnology offers Alternatives to Fossil Fuels
• Nanotechnology on the Road