Sept. 27, 2012: Working Prototype of Three-Dimensional Solar Cell Is Unveiled
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Solar3D Inc., the developer of a new three-dimensional solar cell technology to maximize the conversion of sunlight into electricity, has announced the successful fabrication and operation of a working three-dimensional silicon solar cell that the company says produces at least 250 percent of the power of a basic silicon solar cell.
Dr. Changwan Son, Solar3D’s director of technology, said, “When measured relative to a conventional solar cell design, our working prototype produces electricity beyond our previous expectations. First, we fabricated our working prototype. Then we created a simple cell based on the conventional design, using the same fabrication environment, to serve as a control sample. By measuring the side-by-side power output of both cells, we were able to determine the relative performance under a number of conditions, ranging from bright sunlight to lower, diffuse light. In each test, our 3D Solar Cell consistently outperformed the control cell and produced at least 2½ times the amount of electricity under the same conditions.”