Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Photoelectric Effect02:26

Photoelectric Effect

When light of a particular wavelength strikes a metal surface, electrons are emitted. This is called the photoelectric effect. The minimum frequency of light that can cause such emission of electrons is called the threshold frequency, which is specific to the metal. Light with a frequency lower than the threshold frequency, even if it is of high intensity, cannot initiate the emission of electrons. However, when the frequency is higher than the threshold value, the number of electrons ejected...
P-N junction01:11

P-N junction

A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
Focusing of Light in the Eye01:16

Focusing of Light in the Eye

Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, a transparent dome-shaped tissue that is the eye's outermost layer. The cornea bends or refracts, light rays traveling to the pupil. The shape of the cornea determines how much of the light is bent and whether the image will be focused correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. Once the light has passed through both refraction layers, it converges into a single focal point onto a small area. This is where photoreceptors start transforming...
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
Radiation Pressure: Problem Solving01:09

Radiation Pressure: Problem Solving

The radiation pressure applied by an electromagnetic wave on a perfectly absorbing surface equals the energy density of the wave. The wave's momentum also gets transferred to the surface when an electromagnetic wave is entirely absorbed by it. The rate at which momentum is transmitted to an absorbing surface perpendicular to the propagation direction equals the force on the surface.
The average value of the rate of momentum transfer divided by the absorbing area represents the average force per...
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Nanometer scale imaging to develop quantitative descriptors of bipolar membrane junction structure.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Ultrafast, reconfigurable all-optical beam steering and spatial light modulation.

Nature nanotechnology·2026
Same author

Experimental demonstration of corrugated nanolaminate films as reflective light sails.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Electrically reconfigurable polarization control with double tri-layer black phosphorus heterostructures.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Beyond Earth: Resilience of Quasi-2D Perovskite Solar Cells in Space.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Overcoming Barriers to Dynamic Phase-Only Modulation in Transmissive Metasurfaces via Diffraction Control.

ACS nano·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Integration of Light Trapping Silver Nanostructures in Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cells by Transfer Printing
08:45

Integration of Light Trapping Silver Nanostructures in Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cells by Transfer Printing

Published on: November 9, 2015

Solar Cell light trapping beyond the ray optic limit.

Dennis M Callahan1, Jeremy N Munday, Harry A Atwater

  • 1Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA. callahan@caltech.edu

Nano Letters
|December 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers demonstrate that designing for an elevated local density of optical states (LDOS) can overcome thermodynamic limits in ultrathin solar absorbers. This breakthrough enables enhanced light trapping for next-generation solar cell technologies.

More Related Videos

Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-film Solar cells with Plasmonic-enhanced Light-trapping
09:32

Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-film Solar cells with Plasmonic-enhanced Light-trapping

Published on: July 2, 2012

Indoor Experimental Assessment of the Efficiency and Irradiance Spot of the Achromatic Doublet on Glass (ADG) Fresnel Lens for Concentrating Photovoltaics
09:00

Indoor Experimental Assessment of the Efficiency and Irradiance Spot of the Achromatic Doublet on Glass (ADG) Fresnel Lens for Concentrating Photovoltaics

Published on: October 27, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Integration of Light Trapping Silver Nanostructures in Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cells by Transfer Printing
08:45

Integration of Light Trapping Silver Nanostructures in Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cells by Transfer Printing

Published on: November 9, 2015

Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-film Solar cells with Plasmonic-enhanced Light-trapping
09:32

Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-film Solar cells with Plasmonic-enhanced Light-trapping

Published on: July 2, 2012

Indoor Experimental Assessment of the Efficiency and Irradiance Spot of the Achromatic Doublet on Glass (ADG) Fresnel Lens for Concentrating Photovoltaics
09:00

Indoor Experimental Assessment of the Efficiency and Irradiance Spot of the Achromatic Doublet on Glass (ADG) Fresnel Lens for Concentrating Photovoltaics

Published on: October 27, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Optics and Photonics
  • Materials Science
  • Renewable Energy Technologies

Background:

  • The Yablonovitch thermodynamic limit (1982) established a minimum thickness for homogeneous semiconductor solar absorbers based on geometrical optics.
  • This limit is not applicable to emerging subwavelength solar absorber designs, including ultrathin, wire-based, photonic crystal, and plasmonic cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the key principle for exceeding conventional ray optic or ergodic light trapping limits in solar absorbers.
  • To demonstrate a design strategy for novel solar absorbers that surpass existing light-trapping limitations.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical analysis of light trapping mechanisms beyond geometrical optics.
  • Investigating the role of the local density of optical states (LDOS) in subwavelength absorbers.
  • Proposing design principles for solar absorbers with enhanced LDOS.

Main Results:

  • Exceeding the conventional light trapping limit relies on engineering an elevated local density of optical states (LDOS) within the absorber.
  • It is theoretically possible for any semiconductor material to surpass the ray optic light trapping limit.
  • New solar absorber designs featuring elevated LDOS in the absorbing region are proposed.

Conclusions:

  • Designing for an elevated LDOS is crucial for overcoming traditional light trapping limits in advanced solar absorbers.
  • These principles offer new pathways for developing more efficient and cost-effective solar cell technologies.
  • The findings pave the way for next-generation ultrathin and nanostructured solar energy devices.