Harnessing the energy of the sun: New technique improves artificial photosynthesis
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 - 13:00
in Physics & Chemistry
Transforming solar energy into a usable form is a real challenge. One technique is to use semiconductors to store the energy as hydrogen. Unfortunately, the most efficient semiconductors are not the most stable. An Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland) team has just discovered that it is possible to protect the semiconductor with a uniform layer just a few nanometers thick.