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Last updated 8:51 am CT February 09, 2010.
SIU Researcher Studies Solar Cell Efficiency
Mesfin Tsige, Ph.D., an assitant professor in the College of Science, recently earned the National Science Foundation's CAREER grant. Tsige will use the $432,000 grant to continue studying new materials that could make solar power more efficient.
"When it comes to solar energy you can find it [basically] anywhere on earth."
Tsige says that makes it the most practical form of energy.
He believes there is a way to make technology that harnesses that energy better.
In most cases, the sun's energy is captured by silicon cells. Often we see them on large panels.
"The solar cells we have around are not as efficient as we want them to be," Tsige said.
When you look at a rainbow you see a few different light frequencies, but there are many, many more.
Similarly, traditional silicon solar cells capture just a fraction of the light that the sun gives off.
Researchers believe there is a better way. Instead of using silicon, Tsige and his colleagues hope to use electron-conducting polymers and quantum dots.
Tsige explains, "Quantum dots are very small, tiny materials that can absorb energy at different frequencies" allowing them to capture light at more frequencies than the silicon cells.
Certain polymers conduct electrons. Tsige hopes to combine those polymers and the quantum dots to make solar cells as productive as possible.
While all the science may be difficult for most of us to understand, Tsige hopes we understand this: "we can build smaller solar cells that will allow you to use on top of the house, on the car and so on and I think it will be a source of energy for anything we want."
By Dana Jay
djay@wsiltv.com
Now: 1265727619
