Carbon nanotube rectenna solar array
Solar energy hardwareA solar energy device built from arrays of carbon nanotube antennas paired with rectifiers, which convert incident solar radiation directly into electrical output across ultraviolet through infrared wavelengths.
- Carbon nanotube antennas matched to nanoscale wavelengths of sunlight
- Spectral capture from ultraviolet through infrared, ~2.5x conventional solar
- Power density up to 400 W/m2 versus ~195 W/m2 for conventional panels
- Theoretical efficiency of 80-90% versus 33-34% for conventional photovoltaics