RegGuheert
Well-known member
It appears that GA Tech has developed a diode fast enough to rectify a signal at 100s of THz. That allows them to convert light into DC current using a light-frequency antenna followed by a rectifier. Like all things new, the efficiency is not there, yet, but they feel there are orders of magnitude of improvement still possible. Time (and toil) will tell.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMdYVLtBtoY[/youtube]
From the article:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMdYVLtBtoY[/youtube]
From the article:
GA Tech said:“We could ultimately make solar cells that are twice as efficient at a cost that is ten times lower, and that is to me an opportunity to change the world in a very big way” said Baratunde Cola, an associate professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. “As a robust, high-temperature detector, these rectennas could be a completely disruptive technology if we can get to one percent efficiency. If we can get to higher efficiencies, we could apply it to energy conversion technologies and solar energy capture.”