Spray-on solar cells

An inch-long array of some of the tiniest solar cells ever built has been successfully tested as a power source for microscopic machines, a new study reports.

Xiaomei Jiang of the University of South Florida and her colleagues needed a power source for a microscopic sensor that can detect dangerous chemicals and toxins, potentially helping to sniff out chemical leaks. So the team turned to solar cells.

But these aren't the traditional solar cells that you see perched on rooftops. Most solar cells in use now have a brittle backing made of silicon (found in sand, and the same material computer chips are made with).

Labels: solar, solar cells, solar spray

posted by IntoBlogs at 11:43 AM