Photonic crystals play an essential role in solar panels, because they improve photoelectric conversion efficiency. Photonics are in the news lately with an announcement of a break-through commercial application. We investigate how dye-sensitized ambient solar panels work, and report back on what we discovered.
More Energy from Dye-Sensitized Ambient Solar Cells
The current generation of solar panels harvest their energy from sunlight. They are most efficient on clear sunny says, although their efficiency drops when there are clouds overhead. However, they are hardly any value at all when indoors either, and valueless after night falls.
Those impediments are slowing progress to renewable solar energy. Photonic crystals first came to the attention of scientists in the 1980’s. At the time they were interested in the crystals’ ability to regulate the generation and delivery of photons, or minute energy packets of electromagnetic radiation.
Dye-sensitized ambient solar cells have potential to generate energy away from direct sunlight, and for example power sensors for the internet of things. A team of researchers developed a method in 2020 to coat photonic cells with dye, so they maintained a ‘a high photo-voltage specifically under ambient indoor light’.
Fast Forward to 2024 and a New U.S. Start-Up
California-based start-up company Ambient Photonics claims to have developed a working model for the theory we mentioned earlier. They say their ‘new solar cell’ delivers three-times more energy than other alternatives.
Moreover, they are ready to commercialize what we imagine to be dye-sensitized ambient solar panels. These will be able to power remote controls, keyboards and computer mice they say, using what they describe as ‘revolutionary new molecules’.
We can think of other applications too, like electronic shelf labels and building sensors. Ambient Photonics may well have a point when they say they could ‘replace millions of tiny batteries’. Writers may salivate at the thought of a computer mouse and keyboard that never run out of power.
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