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This paper is devoted to the study of photothermal transformations in multilayered structures. As a modelled sample, porous silicon with a periodic distribution of the porosity was chosen. The spatial distribution of the optical properties…
With the continuous advancement of nanotechnology, nanodevices have become crucial components in computing, sensing and energy conversion applications. However, the structures of nanodevices typically possess sub-wavelength dimensions and…
The goal of ultrathin lightweight photophoretic flyers, or light-flyers for short, is to levitate continuously in Earth's upper atmosphere using only sunlight for propulsive power. We previously reported light-flyers that levitated by…
Carbon materials are excellent candidates for photovoltaic solar cells: they are Earth-abundant, possess high optical absorption, and superior thermal and photostability. Here we report on solar cells with active layers made solely of…
A novel photonic thermal diode concept operating in the near field and capitalizing on the temperature-dependence of coupled surface polariton modes in nanostructures is proposed. The diode concept utilizes terminals made of the same…
Thin films are preferred for high photocurrent conversion efficiency, but strong photon absorption at photon energies below the bandgap (near and shortwave infrared) typically requires thicker semiconductor layers. To address this tradeoff,…
Photons typically do not contribute to thermal transport within a solid due to their low energy density and tendency to be quickly absorbed. We propose a practical material system - infrared plasmonic resonators embedded in a semiconductor…
Reducing device volume is one of the key requirements for advanced nanophotonic technologies, however this demand is often at odds with designing highly absorbing elements which usually require sizeable thicknesses, such as for detector and…
A two-dimensional model is proposed for energy efficiency assessment through the simulation of heat transfer in building envelopes, considering the influence of the surrounding environment. The model is based on the \DF ~approach that…
Recent research is trying to leverage occupants' demand in the building's control loop to consider individuals' well-being and the buildings' energy savings. To that end, a real-time feedback system is needed to provide data about…
Thermally conductive polymers are of fundamental interest and can also be exploited in thermal management applications. Recent studies have shown stretched polymers can achieve high thermal conductivity. However, the transport mechanisms of…
We propose a frequency selective light trapping scheme that enables the creation of more visually-transparent and yet simultaneously more efficient semitransparent solar cells. A nanoparticle scattering layer and photonic stack back…
While various nanophotonic structures applicable to relatively thin crystalline silicon-based solar cells were proposed to ensure effective light in-coupling and light trapping in the absorber, it is of great importance to evaluate their…
A method to engineer the refractive indices of functional materials (TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, SiO2), by nanostructuring in the deep sub-wavelength regime (<20nm), is presented. Block-copolymer templating combined with a wet processing route is used…
In this paper, we present a theoretical study on the absorption efficiency enhancement of a thin film amorphous Silicon (a-Si) photovoltaic cell over a broad spectrum of wavelengths using multiple nanoparticle arrays. The light absorption…
A 2-D photonic crystal was integrated experimentally into a thin-film crystalline-silicon solar cell of 1-{\mu}m thickness, after numerical optimization maximizing light absorption in the active material. The photonic crystal boosted the…
We propose solar-shaped thermal concentrators designed with orthoradial layers and obtained in practice through the homogenization of an ideal thermal concentrator. Considering the spectral regime of the heat equation, we quantitatively…
With the ever-growing need to reduce energy consumption, building materials that passively heat or cool are gaining importance. However, many buildings require both heating and cooling, even within the same day. To date, few technologies…
The concept of superscattering is extended to the thermal field through the design of a thermal superscatterer based on transformation thermodynamics. A small thermal scatterer of arbitrary shape and conductivity is encapsulated with an…
Light carries momentum and, upon interaction with material structures, can exert forces on them. Here, we show that a planar structure with asymmetric optical response is spontaneously accelerated when placed in an environment at a…