Moth Eyes Solar Panels

When light hits their eyes much of it is absorbed and passes into its cornea without disruption or reflection.

Moth eyes solar panels.

Scientists have developed yet another nature inspired technology which holds the potential to boost the efficiency of solar cells. Moth eyes absorb almost all incident light thus reducing reflection that predators would notice. Researchers look to nature to improve solar power efficiency basically the moth s compound eye has textured patterns that are made up of tiny posts each one smaller than the wavelength of light. Scientists at brookhaven national laboratory have developed a way to create an ultra tiny texture on silicon which is the most common material for solar panels that cuts down on a solar panel s reflection in the same way that a moth s eyes operate.

When scientists at the oak ridge national lab went rifling through nature s drawers on their hunt for a more efficient solar panel they missed the eye of newt but they did find inspiration in a. Yet again a successful use of biomimicry finds its way in a prestigious scientific journal showing how nature can inspire great minds to developing super efficient solar cells. The eyes of the common moth have led to a novel discovery that could boost the efficiency of solar panels. The paper like panels will be designed.

Moths have evolved to absorb the maximum amount of light in order to see in the dark and researchers are using this technique to create solar wallpaper. Speaking with electronics weekly silva added moths eyes have microscopic patterning that allows them to see in the dimmest conditions. These work by channelling light towards the middle of the. Light reflection between films that causes light to be lost.

Researchers at north carolina state university are looking to biomimicry to solve one of thin film solar technology s biggest problems. However by imitating the orderly bumps of the moth s eye jiang and his collaborators fabricated a silicon that reflected less than 3 percent of light. Silicon solar panels may reflect as much as 35 percent of light a significant waste of potential energy. The creature which they mimicked is the moth or its eyes to be more precise.