Where are the 70% Efficient Solar Cells?

VernonNemitz asks: "Back in 1984 a patent was granted for silicon chip micro rectennas, which would convert visible photons into electricity in the same way that ordinary rectennas convert microwaves into electricity, at perhaps 70% or greater efficiency. Nobody could make such solar cells back in 1984, but we certainly can today, with sizes of antennas that would capture everything from infrared to the edges of UV -- and the patent has expired. So, where are they?" Currently the most popular type of solar technology is photovoltaics, however PV technology only has an efficiency of about 7-17%. With the potential gains claimed by the technology in the cited patent, has anyone even tried to build one of these units to see if it can live up to the given promise, or at least prove to be a technology than we should be exploring?

Comments

Beats me

[dmanny]

They keep me in the dark about these things :-)

Rectenna?

[medscaper]

a patent was granted for silicon chip micro rectennas,

Anyone else get a sorta shifty feeling when they look at that word and picture the consequences of such an invention?

Re:Rectenna?

[IIRCAFAIKIANAL]

Heheh, my girlfriend saw me reading and laughing and asked me, "What's so funny?"

I asked her, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes, show me."

So I covered my eyes and shift-clicked.

"Eeewwwww," she said, "is that real?"

"Yes dear, it's real and the burning sensation in your eyes will clear in a few days."

It's scary shared-experiences like these that really solidify a relationship.

Where the sun don't shine

[Arrowmaster]

I don't think that rectenna is going to be in much sunlight.

Re:Where the sun don't shine

[Have Blue]

You may wish to rectify that statement.

Re:Where the sun don't shine

[Blahbbs]

Why does everything today have to do with something going in or out of my ass!
</cartman>

Re:Where the sun don't shine

[SirDaShadow]

Perhaps it doesn't use the sun but it may use the "moon" as its power source ;)

Re:Research

[BabyDave]

What the US needs is a Manhattan Project for alternative energy to oil.

They should threaten their enemies with windmills?

Re:Ask yourself...

[deft]

"Why haven't you built one of these things? Chances are that's the same reason that they haven't yet been built."

90% of slashdot just simultaneously realized that these solar panels havent been developed because they are too busy looking at porn and playing warcraft.

Re:Research

[Dr. Smeegee]

> They should threaten their enemies with windmills?
Notice anyone threatening the Netherlands lately, Wisebeing?

What, or rather Who keeps this off the market?

[mcmonkey]

Who controls the British Crown?
Who keeps the metric system down?
We do, we do.
Who keeps Atlantis off the maps?
Who keeps the Martians under wraps?
We do, we do.
Who holds back the electric car?
Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star?
We do, we do.
Who robs cave fish of their sight?
Who rigs every Oscar night?
We do, we do!

Re:Heres a company - up to 80% efficiency.

[bperkins]

Nanotech material, once they arrive, will of course make 90% efficient material practical.

What kind of nanotech material are you talking about? Little nano robots that run around catching photons IN their nano baseball gloves and pitching them into nano furnaces that run nano generataors?

If you want people to take you seriously, a statement like, "nanotech materials _may_ be able to produce 90% efficient material," is more reasonable. "of course" is just silly.

Re:Heres a company - up to 80% efficiency.

[dbenhur]

So what happens when these guys line up against the Maxwell's Demons in the Nano Series?

Re:Heres a company - up to 80% efficiency.

[LMariachi]

They'll be playing with particles, but everyone in the stands will be doing the Wave.