Microwave Technology used in the same Ovens with which we heat our food, is helping a group of scientists in Oregon State University to produce a low cost Thin film solar cell technology.
Engineers at Oregon State University have for the first time developed a way to utilize the microwave heating technology in the synthesis of copper zinc tin sulfide, a solar cell compound that is less costly and toxic than other compounds.
Greg Herman, associate professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering at Oregon state university said that “All of the elements used in this new compound are inexpensive, and should have good solar cell performance".
In Depth look
First the Engineers converted the Solar Cell compounds to an ink composed of nano particles, which could be rolled or sprayed using Technologies like old-fashioned inkjet printing to produce the Solar cells.
To make the process further streamlined researchers identified “one-pot” technology a new way by using microwave heating, instead of conventional heating, to reduce reaction times from minutes to just seconds. The Researches also said the the Technology also helps to provide an increasing control over the heating process.
