QUANTUM DOT SOLAR PANELS
We use Quantum dots in the solar cells infused in the paint. We mixed specially designed nano particles (called quantum dots) with a polymer to make paint that can utilize solar energy in the infrared and visible spectrums. When a photon from the sun reaches the solar paint, the photon's energy generates electricity to power the car. This is two to three times more efficient than current solar cell technology. The Solar Cell paint produces 900 watts of electricity.
In order to understand quantum dots, we have to first understand semi-conductors. Below is an animation that shows how semi-conductors work.
In all atoms, electrons have different energy levels. Electrons live in the Valence Band, meaning that they stay tied to their own atom. When energy is applied to the electron it will jump over the band gap to the conduction band leaving a hole in the Valence Band. In the Conduction Band, electrons can roam freely. This is called “conduction.” In Semi-Conductors, there is something called a Band Gap. In the Band Gap are the energy levels that the electrons are not allowed to possess. Energy must continue being applied to the electron, otherwise it will jump back over the Band Gap to the hole left in the Valence Band giving off energy in the form of light. The further it jumps, the bluer the light. The shorter it jumps, the redder the light.
Quantum dots are a special kind of semiconductor crystal that are so small, their size is close to that of the Bohr Radius. The bohr radius is the minimum distance an electron can be from its hole once it starts conducting. If a semiconductor crystal's size is smaller than that of the bohr radius, then the electrons become constrained. The crystal then acts as if it were a single atom. This is called a quantum dot. This is important because by using quantum dot nanotechnology, we can control the size of the band gap because we can control the size of the quantum dots, and so it is possible to control the color of the light emitted. The bigger the quantum dot, the smaller the band gap, and the redder the light emitted: on the other hand, the smaller the quantum dot, the larger the band gap is, and the bluer the light emitted.