Laser turns glass into an unusual solar cell: What is the secret of the new technology?

According to Interesting Engineering’s report, researchers working at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), together with colleagues from Tokyo Institute of Technology, succeeded in converting tellurite glass into a semiconductor using a laser.

Tellurite is an oxide mineral composed of tellurium dioxide (ed.). By processing this substance with a laser, scientists achieved an increase in its sensitivity to light. They concluded that this method would make it possible to produce glass that could work, for example, as solar panels. Researchers were surprised that the substance changed its properties.

The secret lies in the method of laser exposure. The fact was that the beam was not working continuously, it was producing pulses intermittently and very, very quickly. When the laser hit the surface of the glass, its structure changed – crystals of tellurium and tellurium oxide appeared, which are essentially semiconductors. When the modified glass was brought to light, the crystals began to produce electricity. As a result, photoconductive material was obtained with minimum cost and resources.

Important

The scientists tested their technology as follows. They took a 1cm piece of tellurite glass and made a pattern using a laser beam. They then exposed this area to light waves of different lengths and produced electricity. The researchers say the current generation took several months and paves the way for the creation of photosensitive sensors and various semiconductor circuits.

It is impossible to make solar panels from window glass without the help of a laser, but it may become necessary in the semiconductor industry.

We have previously written that a paper-thin solar panel can turn any surface into an energy source. Researchers are developing scalable technology to produce ultra-thin, lightweight solar cells that can be easily attached to any surface.