abc.net.au / By Stuart Gary / Thursday, 7 February 2013
Light-trapping, silver nano-antennas could dramatically improve the performance of solar panels by catching more light, according to a new study.
A team of physicists, including Professor Constantin Simovski from Finland’s Aalto University, has developed theoretical designs that could increase photovoltaic cell efficiency in a commercially viable way.
It proposes incorporating chessboard-patterned arrays of tiny silver nano-antennas into solar panels.
This would trap more incoming light, allowing it to be preferentially re-radiated through the photovoltaic slab, improving efficiency.
New fabrication techniques for printing a nano-antenna array on thin film means it could be done at low cost.
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