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Joshua Hufford
Bryan Orellana
Yunchao Li
McKay Barnett
Sameh Mehrez http://static.technorati.com/10/04/14/11757/solar-panels.jpg

First Generation
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Single crystal silicon wafers
Third Generation
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Nanocrystal solar cells
Polymer solar cells
Second Generation
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Polycrystalline silicon
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Amorphous silicon
Fourth Generation
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Hybrid - inorganic crystals within a polymer matrix
Single Crystal Silicon Wafer http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/images/G2243B.jpg
Polycrystalline Silicon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell

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Use of polymers (i.e. PPV – Polyphenylene
Vinylenes) with nanoparticles mixed together to make a single multispectrum layer
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Inorganic hybrids that are used as the nano particles:
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CdSe
Titania (Titanium oxide)
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This new form creates a more effective transport for charges

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Significant advances in hybrid solar cells have followed the development of elongated nanocrystal rodes and branched nano crystals
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Increase surface area
Decreases resistance
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Incorporation of larger nanostructures into polymers require optimization of blend morphology using solvent mixtures
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Mayer, A.
This makes it easy to potentially make large rolls of thin, flexible polymer solar cells

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Solar cells have many market opportunities
 sustainable, reliable, and an economical source of power
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Solar cells in space:
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The international space station; four sets of arrays, each one has 250,000 solar cells that can power a small neighborhood.
Image taken from www.space.com
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Solar power plants in the Mojave
Desert
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9 plants provides more power than what
Saudi Arabia produces from oil every day
Cleaner, and more sustainable compared to oil.

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The first solar powered airplane
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Flew for 26 continuous hours.
It was powered by 12,000 solar cells on its carbon fiber wings.
Powered solar vehicles
Residential roof solar panels.

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Converting some of the heat for an overall solar cell composite
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More efficient and cheaper
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Based on polymer solar cell and heterojunction technology

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Future advances will rely on new nanocrystals, such as titania, to replace fullerene derivatives.
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Potential to enhance light absorption and further improve charge transport.
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Increase efficiency while getting away from all organic solar cell polymers.

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New innovations in polymeric materials and other nanoparticles are allowing for cheaper solar cells
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Continued research will lead to more efficient cells
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Cost effective, sustainable, ease of production, long lasting are key traits that make this technology increasingly plausible as a green replacement from present energy resources.

 https://scifinder.cas.org/scifinder/view/scifinder/s cifinderExplore.jsf
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell
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Mayer, A., S. Scully, B. Hardin, M. Rowell, and M.
Mcgehee. "Polymer-based Solar Cells." Materials
Today 10.11 (2007): 28-33. Print.