This is an excerpt from the December 22, 2011: Record-breaking solar cells, upcoming metrology workshop, and a win for interconnection edition of the SunShot newsletter.
Tiny PV Cells Soak Up 1,000 Suns
Semprius, a past DOE awardee, has achieved 41% efficiency with its triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells. These little powerhouses, which are about the size of a dot made by a ballpoint pen, can significantly decrease module and manufacturing costs when coupled with low-cost concentrating lenses.