Prototype of a concentrator photovoltaic cell

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This project will fabricate the prototype for a new concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar cell technology. In CPV, a lens or mirror is used to focus sunlight onto a small but highly efficient solar cell. Most high efficiency CPV cells use Ge as a substrate, which is a serious drawback due to its expense and scarcity. As a result, CPV is typically restricted to large solar farms in areas of high solar irradiance. We address this problem by the rational design and synthesis of a nanowire-based PV device that replaces expensive Ge with cheaper Si substrates, thereby lowering cost while having comparable performance to existing CPV cells. By lowering cost, we expect CPV technology to become mainstream for both the large-scale utility market, but also for smaller, commercial scale projects at lower concentration factors in the urban environment and in areas of lower solar irradiance such as Canada.