A solar generator can include a photon-enhanced thermionic emission generator with a cathode to receive solar radiation. The photon-enhanced thermionic emission generator can include an anode that in conjunction with the cathode generates a first current and waste heat from the solar radiation. A thermoelectric generator can be thermally coupled to the anode and can convert the waste heat from the anode into a second current. A circuit can connect to the photon-enhanced thermionic emission generator and to the thermoelectric generator and can combine the first and the second currents into an output current.

Present invention discloses a microfluidic energy harvester for converting solar energy into electrical energy. A preferred embodiment of the present microfluidic energy harvester includes a substrate having an embedded central microchannel, electrolyte configured to reside and/or flow in said central microchannel and electrode assembly having one or more pair of electrodes arranged in a series and integrated with said central microchannel from sides ensuring direct contact between said pair for electrodes with said electrolyte while it reside and/or flow in said central microchannel for ensuing electrochemical photovoltaic effect to convert the solar energy into the electrical energy under direct solar illumination by working under regenerative conditions. The microfluidic energy harvester is capable of producing high density power from three different resources, (a) the solar irradiation produces a photovoltaic potential difference between the metal/metal-oxide electrodes, (b) SPR of the metal nanoparticles suspended in the electrolyte amplifies the photovoltaic potential difference under solar irradiation, and (c) the flow of the nanoparticle laden electrolyte produces a streaming potential between the electrodes by converting the mechanical energy into the electrical one near the electrodes. The transparency of the polymer and adequate absorptivity of the metal/metal-oxide electrodes ensured facile absorption of solar irradiation in the microfluidic energy harvester. The flexibility of the MEH can be tuned by adjusting the cross-linking of the PDMS matrix. The multiplicity of the microchannels and electrodes are expected to increase the total amount of energy harvested.

The present disclosure relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell including a light-collecting device panel disposed between a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate, including a polymer film containing a luminescent dye; and a frame formed in contact with a corner of the light-collecting device panel, including a photoelectrode containing a dye.

Provided is a photoelectric conversion element including a first electrode, a hole blocking layer, an electron transport layer, a first hole transport layer, and a second electrode, wherein the first hole transport layer includes at least one of basic compounds represented by general formula (1a) and general formula (1b) below:

##STR00001##

where in the formula (1a) or (1b), R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or aromatic hydrocarbon group and may be identical or different, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may bind with each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group containing a nitrogen atom.

Graphene photodetectors capable of operating in the sub-bandgap region relative to the bandgap of semiconductor nanoparticles, as well as methods of manufacturing the same, are provided. A photodetector can include a layer of graphene, a layer of semiconductor nanoparticles, a dielectric layer, a supporting medium, and a packaging layer. The semiconductor nanoparticles can be semiconductors with bandgaps larger than the energy of photons meant to be detected.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a semiconductor device power management system including a semiconductor device of a set of semiconductor devices provided on a substrate, wherein the semiconductor device includes an independent power supply unit.

A solar generator can include a photon-enhanced thermionic emission generator with a cathode to receive solar radiation. The photon-enhanced thermionic emission generator can include an anode that in conjunction with the cathode generates a first current and waste heat from the solar radiation. A thermoelectric generator can be thermally coupled to the anode and can convert the waste heat from the anode into a second current. A circuit can connect to the photon-enhanced thermionic emission generator and to the thermoelectric generator and can combine the first and the second currents into an output current.

A three-tandem (3T) perovskite/silicon (PVT)-based tandem solar cell (TSC) includes an antireflection coating (ARC), a first transparent conductive oxide layer (TCO), a hole transport layer (HTL), a perovskite (PVT) layer, a second transparent conductive oxide layer (TCO), an electron transport layer (ETL), a plurality of buried contacts, a p-type Si layer, a p-type wafer-based homo-junction silicon solar cell, a n+ silicon layer, a back contact layer. The solar cell further includes a top sub-cell, a bottom sub-cell and a middle contact-based tandem. The top sub-cell includes the PVT layer. The bottom sub-cell includes the silicon solar cell. The middle contact-based tandem includes the second TCO layer to be used as the middle contact-based tandem, as well as a recombination layer for current collection. Further, a conduction and a valence band edge are employed at a front surface of the ETL.

Provided is a photoelectric conversion element including a first electrode, a hole blocking layer, an electron transport layer, a first hole transport layer, and a second electrode, wherein the first hole transport layer includes at least one of basic compounds represented by general formula (1a) and general formula (1b) below: ##STR00001##
where in the formula (1a) or (1b), R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or aromatic hydrocarbon group and may be identical or different, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may bind with each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group containing a nitrogen atom.

An oxygen generating electrode includes a conductive layer; a photocatalyst layer; and a light absorption. The light-absorbing layer arranged between the conductive layer and the photocatalyst layer. The light-absorbing layer is formed of one or a plurality of perovskite-type films, and each of the films contains tin (Sn), oxygen (O), sulfur (S), and one or more elements selected from Group 1 or Group 2 of the periodic table of elements. Each of the films formed by doping S for substituting an O site is set so that a band gap takes a predetermined value in a range between 0 eV to 4 eV.