Northern California Associates Discover that the Future of Solar Technology Could be the Size of a Potato Chip

Pasadena, Calif.—Solar energy is an important topic in today’s world. With an uncertain economy, more and more people are interested in alternative and cheaper energy sources. Thankfully, scientists at Caltech, like Dr. Harry Atwater, the Howard Hughes Professor and Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science, have been working diligently on exciting new technology that may help change the way we think of solar energy.

Around 100 Caltech Associates and their guests joined together at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in Palo Alto, California to learn about photovoltaics (PV) technology from Atwater. PV technology is enjoying substantial growth and investment owing to worldwide sensitivity to the long-term importance of renewable energy. There are many options, but the key performance metric is the cost per watt of PV-generated electricity. While solar cells are semiconductor devices like integrated circuits, the processing cost/area must be like that for making an inexpensive potato chip. Thus, while most current solar cell manufacturing is done with crystalline silicon wafers, Atwater discussed with the northern California members of the Caltech Associates, how the future of large-scale PV is likely to be in inexpensive thin film and nano-structured devices and processes.

The Associates is a group of individuals who are interested in science and technology and the future of research like PV technology. Their support of Caltech and the research of faculty members like Atwater, enables them to participate in programs in northern and southern California and the east coast, foreign and domestic travel with Caltech faculty, and behind-the-scenes tours of Caltech laboratories. People interested in more information about the Associates and how you can join, please visit http://associates.caltech.edu/ or contact the Associates at 626-395-3919.