These “nanoantennas” could replace the silicon semiconductors in special solar power panels, that could harvest more energy from a wider spectrum of sunlight than is currently possible. The nanoantennas are constructed.

Radio surf is a type of electromagnetic energy, so when they’re picked up by traditional metallic antennas, the electrons that are generated can be changed into an electrical current. Considering the fact that optical waves are also a kind of electromagnetic energy, a team of scientists from Tel Aviv University wondered if this can be also changed into electricity, with an antenna. Apparently , they can – if the antenna is extremely, very short. These “nanoantennas” could replace the silicon semiconductors in special solar power panels, that could harvest more energy from a wider spectrum of sunlight than is currently possible.

The nanoantennas are constructed from small amounts of aluminum and gold, and therefore are each just one micron in length – because light has this type of short wavelength (as compared to radio waves), short antennas provide the optimal absorption. After being created, the nanoantennas were then exposed to light, to find out how well they could receive and transmit light energy. Based on the initial tests, 95 % from the wattage being absorbed through the antennas was passed along, with only 5 percent being wasted.

Not just are the nanoantennas efficient, but when their length is varied, the wavelength that they can absorb changes. Therefore, the researchers think that one panel containing a number of lengths of otherwise-identical nanoantennas could harvest energy from a much broader solar spectrum than is presently allowed by semiconductor technology.

To that particular end, the Tel Aviv team is now in the process of creating experimental plastic solar power panels, nano-imprinted with varying lengths and shapes of nanoantennas. They’re also looking into the electromagnetic-energy-to-electrical-current conversion process, with hopes of improving it.

Although silicon isn’t a particularly expensive material, the scientists think that the superior efficiency of their panels could permit them to be small compared to present solar power systems, and therefore more cost-effective.

Similar scientific studies are also arrived at the Idaho National Laboratory, where researchers have been developing plastic sheet solar power panels stamped with nanoantennas.