Thermodynamics has played a singular role in the development of virtually all energy technologies to-date. This review argues that it also has a role to play in the understanding and design of solar cell operation, particularly looking toward the future, high-efficiency solar cells. After a historical overview of the key developments in the ‘thermodynamics of light,’ the conversion of a monochr...

A single-layer graphene film was grown on copper foil by chemical vapor deposition and transferred onto a silicon-pillar-array (SPA) substrate to make a Schottky junction solar cell. The SPA substrate was specifically designed to suppress reflectance and enhance light absorption. The energy conversion efficiency of the prepared graphene/SPA solar cells achieved a maximum of 2.90% with a junctio...

A cation-excess (Ni,Mn) ferrite N~o.~zMno.51Fe2.0504.0 with a single phase was synthesized by heating the mixture of corresponding metal salts and oxide in 5% 02175% C02120% N2 gas mixture for 18h at 1100C. It could be thermochemically activated to form a cation-excess ferrite Nio,5z~l+s~Mno.51~l+6~Fe2~05~1+6~0440 in N2 gas at elevated temperature: The ( value was 0.03 1 at 1100C. The activated...

Electromagnetic light from the Sun is largest source, and cleanest energy available to us; extensive efforts have been dedicated developing science engineering solutions in order avoid use of fossil fuels. Solar transforms photons into electricity via photovoltaic effect, generating about 20 GW USA 2020, sufficient power 17 million households. However, sunlight erratic, technologies store elect...

The conversion of sunlight into electricity has been dominated by photovoltaic and solar thermal power generation. Photovoltaic cells are deployed widely, mostly as flat panels, whereas solar thermal electricity generation relying on optical concentrators and mechanical heat engines is only seen in large-scale power plants. Here we demonstrate a promising flat-panel solar thermal to electric po...