South Korean scientists have made a potential breakthrough in the field of wearable electronics with the development of ultra-thin solar panels. These extremely slim panels are 100 micrometres thinner than the average human hair and hundreds of times thinner than conventional solar panels making them the ideal partner for photovoltaic cells. The researchers from Seoul National University (SNU) developed an innovative new method to make these ultra thin solar cells using graphene nanoribbons (GaN). This type of technology could overcome the current battery size and weight limitations for wearable devices. While some other researchers have made solar panels of around one micrometre thick before, they did so using a different technique, called etching. The scientists believe they have opened the door to production of photovoltaic cells with fewer materials.
South Korean scientists have made a potential breakthrough in the field of wearable electronics with the development of ultra-thin solar panels. These extremely slim panels are 100 micrometres thinner than the average human hair and hundreds of times thinner than conventional solar panels making them the ideal partner for photovoltaic cells. The researchers from Seoul National University (SNU) developed an innovative new method to make these ultra thin solar cells using graphene nanoribbons (GaN). This type of technology could overcome the current battery size and weight limitations for wearable devices. The scientists believe they have opened the door to production of photovoltaic cells with fewer materials.