Achievement

Trainee Steve Shelton from the Peidong Yang group developed a method of depositing nanocrystals into a thin film from a single source precursor. So far it has been demonstrated with cadmium sulfide and cuprous sulfide, two materials used to make photovoltaics. This development is used to process second-generation photovoltaics at a low cost. Historically solar panels have been impeded from market penetration by cost. If second generation technologies perform well at a competitive price, they could be a significant player in the energy economy. This work was done in conjunction with Ilan Jen-La Plante and Talib Mokari at the Molecular Foundry who specialize in inorganic chemical synthesis. Collaborations like these have spread nanocrystal fabrication techniques to a growing range of researchers who will in turn apply them to new discoveries.