Related papers: Ultra-Thin Metal Films for Enhanced Solar Absorpti…
In this paper we show that arrays of core-shell nanoparticles function as effective thin absorbers of light. In contrast to known metamaterial absorbers, the introduced absorbers are formed by single planar arrays of spherical inclusions…
We present diffraction patterns from micron-sized areas of mono-crystalline graphite obtained with an ultracold and ultrafast electron source. We show that high spatial coherence is manifest in the visibility of the patterns even for…
We report on a combined structural and electronic analysis of niobium ultrathin films (from 2 to 10 nm) deposited in ultra-high vacuum on atomically flat R-plane sapphire wafers. A textured polycrystalline morphology is observed for the…
Engineering nanophotonic mode dispersions in ultrathin, planar structures enables significant control over infrared perfect absorption (PA) and thermal emission characteristics. Here, using simulations, the wavelength and angular ranges…
Upconversion of sub-band-gap photons constitutes a promising way for improving the efficiency of silicon-based solar cells beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit. 1500 to 980 nm upconversion by trivalent erbium ions is well-suited for this…
Photonic miniaturization requires seamless integration of linear and nonlinear optical components to achieve passive and active functions simultaneously. Among the available material systems, silicon photonics holds immense promise for…
Time-resolved absorption of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and aluminum in the XUV-range has been measured. Thin foils in conditions close to local thermodynamic equilibrium were heated by radiation from laser-irradiated gold spherical cavities.…
Thin-film nanocomposites, consisting of silver nanoparticles embedded in a dielectric Teflon\textregistered AF matrix, were synthesized using vapor phase co-deposition. The electrical conductivity of these composites was measured in-situ as…
The rates of electron neutrino capture on neutron, electron anti-neutrino capture on proton, and their reverse processes are important for understanding the production of heavy elements in the supernova environment above the protoneutron…
Light trapping for solar cells can reduce production cost and improve energy conversion efficiency. Understanding some of the basic theoretical constraints on light trapping is therefore of fundamental importance. Here, we develop a general…
Using metamaterial absorbers, we have shown that metallic layers in the absorbers do not necessarily constitute undesired resistive heating problem for photovoltaics. Tailoring the geometric skin depth of metals and employing the natural…
Composite light-trapping structures offer a promising approach to achieving broadband absorption and high efficiency in thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) in order to accelerate sustainable energy solutions. As the leading material in thin-film…
Vibrational overtone spectroscopy of molecules is a powerful tool for drawing information on molecular structure and dynamics. It relies on absorption of near infrared radiation (NIR) by molecular vibrations. Here we show the experimental…
The Sun is believed to have been the recipient of a substantial amount of metal-rich material over the course of its evolution, particularly in the early stages of the Solar System. With a long diffusion timescale, the majority of this…
Nano-composite films of Tin Sulfide (SnS) and silver (Ag) fabricated by thermal evaporation showed two prominent peaks in the visible region of their extinction spectra. Theoretical modeling of the extinction spectra suggest that these two…
Polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride thin films are explored as sample supports for extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectroscopy of molecular transition metal complexes. Thin polymer films prepared by slip-coating are flat, smooth, and transmit…
A simple analysis is performed for the absorption properties of graphene; sandwiched between two media. For a proper choice of media and graphene doping/gating one can approach 50-100% absorption in the GHz-THz range for the one atom thick…
Establishing the fundamental limit of nanophotonic light-trapping schemes is of paramount importance and is becoming increasingly urgent for current solar cell research. The standard theory of light trapping demonstrated that absorption…
We present analysis and photoionization modeling of the Chandra high resolution spectrum of Mrk 279. There is clear evidence of an absorbing outflow which is best fit by a two component model, one with a low ionization parameter and one…
A novel electronic film solar energy concentrator with embedded micro-mirrors that track the sun is described. The potential viability of this new concept is presented. Due to miniaturization, the amount of material needed for the optical…