| Nanotechnologies
which can artificially change the optical properties of materials
to allow light to be trapped in solar cells could greatly reduce
the cost of solar energy.
Research
being carried out by the School of Electronics and Computer
Science (ECS) at the University of Southampton is focusing
on nanopatterning as the way to design effective solar panels.
‘By drawing
features that are much smaller than the wavelength of light,
photons can be confused into doing things they normally wouldn’t
do,’ says Dr Darren Bagnall, of the School of Electronics
and Computer Science. ‘By creating diffractive nanostructured
arrays on the surface of solar cells we ensure that optical
asymmetries are created that prevent light from escaping the
solar cells.’
According
to Dr Bagnall the light-trapping technologies could reduce
the thickness of semiconductor materials needed in solar panels,
and this would directly reduce the cost. The first challenge
is to prove that the technology works in practice, the second
key challenge will be to develop cost effective ways to produce
nanopatterned layers.
The ECS
approach is being applied to the £4.5M ‘Photovoltaic
Materials for the 21st Century’ project which is funded by
the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Other university partners in this project are Durham, Bangor,
Northumbria, Bath and Loughborough. They have teamed up with
industrial partners to develop solar cells which will make
it possible for manufacturers to slash the cost of solar energy
by half.
Dr Bagnall
comments: ‘We have already shown that we can use arrays of
chiral nanostructures, such as swastikas, to change the polarisation
of light, now we want to apply the same technology to photovoltaics.’
Notes
1. For further information about Dr Bagnall’s work, visit
www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~dmb/
An
image of the swastika pattern is available from Joyce Lewis
(tel.023 8059 5453; email j.k.lewis@ecs.soton.ac.uk)
2.
ECS houses the Nanoscale Systems Integration group which has
created a versatile microfabrication facility with state-of-the-art
capability to produce a wide range of devices. The group is
a recognised centre for collaborative research with other
universities in producing new device designs. Collaboration
with industry is strong. Further details can be found at http://www.nsi.ecs.soton.ac.uk/
3.
The University of Southampton is a leading UK teaching and
research institution with a global reputation for leading-edge
research and scholarship. The University has over 19,200 students
and over 4,800 staff. Its annual turnover is in the region
of £250 million.
Useful
web sites
www.experts.soton.ac.uk - an A-Z guide of University experts
For
further information, please contact:
Dr
Darren Bagnall, Nanoscale Systems Integration, School of Electronics
and Computer Science, University of Southampton
(Tel: 023 8059 7609, email: dmb@ecs.soton.ac.uk)
Joyce
Lewis, Communications Manager, Electronics and Computer Science,
University of Southampton (Tel: 023 8059 5453, email:j.k.lewis@ecs.soton.ac.uk)
Reference URL
http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~dmb
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