• The Solterra Story
• Solterra In The News
• Solterra Press Releases
• Related Research Links

The efficiency of solar cells is the electrical power it puts out as percentage of the power in incident sunlight. One of the most fundamental limitations on the efficiency of a solar cell is the ‘band gap’ of the semi-conducting material used in conventional solar cells: the energy required to boost an electron from the bound valence band into the mobile conduction band. When an electron is knocked loose from the valence band, it goes into the conduction band as a negative charge, leaving behind a ‘hole’ of positive charge. Both electron and hole can migrate through the semi-conducting material.

Saudi Arabia's oil minister on Thursday slammed biofuels, saying they did not protect the environment or help supply security, but added solar power had to be considered one of the best clean energy sources.

Research by Michael Wong and scientists at Rice's Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology revealed a breakthrough method for producing molecular specks of semiconductors called quantum dots, a discovery that could clear the way for better, cheaper solar energy panels.

Rice University scientists reveale a breakthrough method for producing molecular specks of semiconductors called quantum dots, a discovery that could clear the way for better, cheaper solar energy panels

Scientists have published details of a "breakthrough" method for producing quantum dots - molecular specks of semiconductors - which they believe could pave the way for better and cheaper solar panels.

Rice scientists replace pricey solvents with cheap processing fluidsIn an important advance toward the large-scale manufacture of fluorescent quantum dots, scientists at Rice University have developed a new method of replacing the pricey solvents used in quantum dot synthesis with cheaper oils that are commonplace at industrial chemical plants.