Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #13294



To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Elmo elmo@ilid.com.au
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 19:16:06 +1000
Subject: Re: Wacky ideas floating around


The University of New South Wales in Australia has the world most efficient solar
cells. Somewhere around 35% if i am remembering correctly.

How do they get such a great value. The laser etch long lines into the glass on
the top of the solar cell so that it has a zig zag shape (little triangular
shaped lines). This has the effect of increasing the light collecting surface
area of the cell as well as bouncing some the the light that is normally
reflected of the glass into the neighboring prism. The solar cell material is
exactly the same as what we are using.

Elmo


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