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Solar Cells reach 40.8%

Antisthenes

a new world record has been set for the most efficient photovoltaic device. Topping the scale at 40.8% efficiency, the new solar cell differs significantly from the previous record holder. "Instead of using a germanium wafer as the bottom junction of the device, the new design uses compositions of gallium indium phosphide and gallium indium arsenide to split the solar spectrum into three equal parts that are absorbed by each of the cell's three junctions for higher potential efficiencies. This is accomplished by growing the solar cell on a gallium arsenide wafer, flipping it over, then removing the wafer. The resulting device is extremely thin and light and represents a new class of solar cells with advantages in performance, design, operation and cost."[/quote


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Sep 30, 08 2:17 pm
binary

i'm gonna have to google alot of words to understand this

Sep 30, 08 2:18 pm  · 
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4arch

drill baby drill!*




*for gallium indium phosphide and gallium indium arsenide

Sep 30, 08 2:21 pm  · 
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WonderK

That's great news. If only I knew more about this process and didn't think it was magic...

Sep 30, 08 2:44 pm  · 
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Antisthenes

current solar has been meeting my needs since 1984 but this new efficiency is great for large projects and buyback. I will have to wait and learn more when all the new techs i keep reading about become commercially available.

Sep 30, 08 4:31 pm  · 
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treekiller

how much will these cost per sf? the pv cells that nasa uses are about 20% efficient but cost 100x what us earth bound mortals want to pay.

Sep 30, 08 4:58 pm  · 
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