Carbon nanotubes generate current from light, may yield solar power
Over at GE they’re still bringing “bringing good things to life” or in this case, to light: “The discovery was first announced in the current issue of Applied Physics Letters. An official at the GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna sees promise in the efficiency of the nanotubes. ‘The discovery of a photovoltaic effect in our nanotube device could lead to exciting breakthroughs in solar cells that make them more efficient and a more viable alternative in the mainstream energy market,’ said Margaret Blohm, GE’s advanced technology leader for nanotechnology…The carbon nanotube diodes ‘showed significant power-conversion efficiencies,’ the company said.”
August 23rd, 2005 at 3:35 PM
When is a breakthrough a breakthrough?
In the world of the press release, the word “breakthrough” is overused to the point that when many PV enthusiasts see it they immediately assume that it is code for “we have no product yet, but give us money anyway.”
August 23rd, 2005 at 10:39 PM
I don’t have easy access to the journal they cite, so I can’t check the primary source. But I would have been much more impressed with the PR piece had they given some technical details– even a simple measure of the conversion efficiency, to peg against existing technology.