1. Background Information
1.1. History
1.1.1. Date: 31 Dec 2013
1.1.2. Inventor: Scientists from Michigan State University
1.2. Characteristics
1.2.1. a luminescent solar concentrator
1.2.1.1. made by sheets of flexible graphene coated with a layer of nanowires.
1.2.2. completely transparent
1.2.2.1. Reason
1.2.2.1.1. the materials do not absorb or emit light in the visible spectrum
1.2.2.1.2. they look exceptionally transparent to the human eye
1.2.3. good efficiency
1.2.4. thin and flexible
1.2.4.1. advantages
1.2.4.1.1. be potentially scaled to commercial or industrial applications
1.3. Theory
1.3.1. A solar harvesting system that uses small organic molecules to absorb specific 'non-visible' wavelengths of sunlight .
1.3.2. Infrared light is guided to the edge of the plastic
2. Applications
2.1. Daily life
2.1.1. Phone screen
2.1.1.1. Description:using this material to make phone screen
2.1.1.2. Advantage
2.1.1.2.1. infinite electricity power during daytime
2.1.1.2.2. more convenient to use and save time
2.1.2. Solar window
2.1.2.1. advantages
2.1.2.1.1. still allowing a view out through the window as it is transparent
2.1.2.1.2. generate electricity
2.2. Technology industry
2.2.1. Energy transformation
2.2.1.1. environmental-friendly
2.2.1.2. multiple energy transformation
2.2.1.2.1. electricity
2.2.1.2.2. heat energy
2.2.1.2.3. Light energy
2.2.2. Aircraft
2.2.2.1. coatings for commercial and military aircraft, and the safety and security of military pilots
3. Differences
3.1. Cost
3.1.1. transparent solar cells
3.1.1.1. Low-cost
3.1.1.1.1. reason
3.1.2. traditional solar cells
3.1.2.1. Expensive
3.1.2.1.1. reason
3.2. Efficiency
3.2.1. uses a combination of transparent and semi-transparent cells — achieves a conversion rate of 7.3% while the traditional one only achieve a rate of 4%
3.3. appearance
3.3.1. Traditional solar cells
3.3.2. transparent solar cells