Making Colorful Buildings that Convert Solar Light into Energy
December 16, 2015 | OSAEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
In particular, the researchers made a square absorber 60 mm on each side. They covered the absorber with a mosaic of dielectric materials, forming a grid of 16 tiles. Each tile was of a different thickness – and thus a different color. Each tile, which could be made as small as one millimeter on each side, acts like a pixel on the absorber.
Using this methodology, an absorber with up to a thousand of these pixel-like color units – which would be virtually impossible with conventional absorbers – can be built and form almost any pattern you want, Wang said. For example, you could make a camouflage pattern, which would be useful for making solar thermal devices for the military.
While the technology isn't market-ready yet, he said that with enough industry investment, the methods could be commercialized in the near future.
Suggested Items
Forge Nano Secures $40M to Scale U.S. Battery Manufacturing and Commercial Semiconductor Equipment Businesses
05/02/2025 | Forge NanoForge Nano, Inc., a technology company pioneering domestic battery and semiconductor innovations, announced the successful close of $40 million in new funding.
MICROOLED Announces Partnership with Vortex Optics and Brand New US Headquarters
05/02/2025 | BUSINESS WIREMICROOLED Inc., the leading global supplier of AMOLED displays, is proud to announce their partnership with Vortex Optics to advance the development of high-performance weapon sights for optical sighting systems.
Indium Wins EM Asia Innovation Award
05/01/2025 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation, a leading materials provider for the electronics assembly market, recently earned an Electronics Manufacturing (EM) Asia Innovation Award for its new high-reliability Durafuse® HR alloy for solder paste at Productronica China in Shanghai.
Elephantech, Logitech Together Drive Disruptive Electronics Innovation
05/01/2025 | ElephantechElephantech Inc. announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Logitech International to revolutionize peripherals manufacturing and the printed circuit board (PCB) industry.
Summit Interconnect Hollister Elevates PCB Prototyping with New TiTAN Direct Imaging System from Technica USA
05/01/2025 | Summit Interconnect, Inc.Summit Interconnect’s Hollister facility has recently enhanced its quick-turn PCB prototyping capabilities by installing the TiTAN PSR-H Direct Imaging (DI) system.