Metamaterial in Solar Energy Harvesting Devices

Solar energy is one of the best sources of environmentally friendly reliable energy. Metamaterials is one of the subjects of nanotechnology, which applies scientific and engineering principles to make and utilize very small things things at the nanometer scale, where unique phenomena enable novel applications. How to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of power collected by crystalline silicon solar cells with Metamaterials is a subject of great interest and also the objective of this project. Metallic and dielectric nanostructured metamaterials will be designed and tested, which are engineered to enhance light absorption of solar cells. Proposed project is aimed at developing and manufacturing such enhanced absorption solar cells on a large scale and help increase Canadas solar energy production.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Cada

Student:

Xiaoou Mao

Partner:

Metamaterial Technologies Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Nanotechnologies

University:

Dalhousie University