Photovoltaic cells only use part of the solar spectrum efficiently. Intelligent Material can be engineered as wavelength-converting layers that move otherwise poorly used UV and infrared photons into spectral regions the solar cell can harvest more effectively.
The optical conversion layer is separate from the semiconductor physics of the solar cell. That matters because it creates a route to improve light utilization without redesigning the underlying PV junction.
For high-energy UV photons, a down-converting material can shift light toward longer wavelengths. For lower-energy infrared photons, an up-converting material can combine absorbed energy and re-emit at shorter wavelengths that better match the response of the cell.
The design problem is therefore a materials problem: match the crystal absorption, emission, lifetime, particle geometry and film architecture to the photovoltaic platform.
Shift UV and near-UV photons toward visible or near-infrared wavelengths that can be captured more effectively by the PV device.
Absorb lower-energy near-infrared or short-wave infrared photons and convert them into higher-energy emission that the cell can use.
Use core/shell design, plasmonic enhancement, refractive-index control and film structure to improve absorption, emission and optical coupling.
The original IMS/Penn program was built around low-temperature, post-cell-manufacture coatings so the wavelength-conversion function could be added without disturbing the underlying semiconductor process.
IMS can vary the same parameters that determine whether a wavelength-conversion coating is useful in practice: host lattice, rare-earth dopants, concentration, particle dimensions, morphology, core/shell architecture, plasmonic coupling, surface chemistry and film loading.
Identify which parts of the incident spectrum are poorly used by the target PV platform.
Choose absorption and emission pathways matched to the desired spectral shift.
Optimize loading, dispersion, thickness, refractive index and environmental stability.
Evaluate optical gain, electrical efficiency, durability and manufacturability as one system.
Solar enhancement is one branch of the broader IMS energy work. The other two pages focus on light-driven hydrogen chemistry and subsurface hydrocarbon discovery.
IMS can develop custom Intelligent Material candidates and thin-film concepts for photovoltaic companies, coating manufacturers and advanced-energy programs.
Work with IMS