Ambient Light Power

The next big thing in battery-powered mobile devices may be to do away with the battery altogether – thanks to an organic thin-film panel that generates power from ambient light.

Conventional silicon solar cells capture light at wavelengths of about 1000 nanometers, and generate electricity at efficiencies of 20 to 25 percent. The new materials being considered for this application are capable of tapping into the energy present in visible light (at wavelengths of 400 to 700 nanometers) and at much lower intensities than typical sunlight. The goal is to find an organic material that could generate a minimum of 2 watts of power with a conversion efficiency of at least 10 percent to be cost-effective.

When applied around the frames of e-books, tablets or phones, the panels would be capable of powering the device using light from lamps in room. The technology could also be used to power a variety of sensors used in “smart” homes to monitor temperature, humidity and energy consumption, eliminating the need for multiple batteries, chargers and cords.