New two-dimensional semiconductor has ideal band gap for solar harvesting
Friday, November 2, 2012 - 08:00
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—At its heart, photovoltaics research is about finding materials with specific properties that make them good at absorbing sunlight and converting it into electricity. The best photovoltaics materials are semiconductors that have optimal band gap values ranging from 1-1.6 eV, allowing them to absorb particular portions of the solar spectrum depending on the value of the band gap. In a new study, materials scientists have synthesized and characterized a new semiconductor material that consists of an atomically thin (0.7-nm) layer of selenium and molybdenum that has an ideal band gap for solar harvesting and optoelectronics applications, and also exhibits some unique behavior.