Solar Invisibility Cloak

In recent years, a number of approaches to developing invisibility cloaks have been tested, with varying degrees of success. One such approach utilizes metamaterials etched with tiny grooves smaller than the wavelength of light, which, when properly constructed, effectively bend the path of light around an object and render it invisible. Now, a team of engineers has applied the idea to solar panels as a way of increasing their efficiency.

Solar collectors contain metal strips that extract the current generated. However, these strips also reduce the efficiency of the collectors because they block sunlight from reaching the solar cell. By placing a polymer coating etched with grooves over the metal strips, the researchers were able to direct light around them so that light would be trapped within the cell rather than being reflected.

There are still a few design issues that will need to be addressed. For example, over time the grooves could collect dust and block the sunlight. Ultraviolet light might also degrade the polymer and decrease its effectiveness. But the boost in efficiency is significant enough to warrant further investigation.