Solar Energy Harvesting Using a Timer-Based Relay Selection

In this paper,the throughput and delay of cooperative communications are derived when solar energy is used and relay node is selected using a timer.The source and relays harvest energy from sun using a photo voltaic system.The harvested power is used by the source to transmit data to the relays.Then,a selected relay amplifies the signal to the destination.Opportunistic,partial and reactive relay selection are used.The relay transmits when its timer elapses.The timer is set to a value proportional to the inverse of its Signal to Noise Ratio(SNR).Therefore,the relay with largest SNR will transmit first and its signal will be detected by the other relays that will remain idle to avoid collisions.Harvesting duration is optimized to maximize the throughput.Packet’s waiting time and total delay are also computed.We also derive the statistics of SNR when solar energy is used.The harvested power from sun is proportional to the sum of a deterministic radiation intensity and a random attenuation due to weather effects and clouds occlusion.The fixed radiation intensity depends on season,month and time t in hour.The throughput of cooperative communications with energy harvesting from sun was not yet studied.

Design and optimization of a nano-antenna hybrid structure for solar energy harvesting application

A novel hybrid structure with high responsivity and efficiency is proposed based on an L-shaped frame nano-antenna(LSFNA)array for solar energy harvesting application.So,two types of LSFNAs are designed and optimized to enhance the harvesting characteristics of traditional simple electric dipole nano-antenna(SEDNA).The LSFNA geometrical dimensions are optimized to have the best values for the required input impedance at three resonance wavelengths ofλ_(res)=10μm,15μm,and 20μm.Then the LSFNAs with three different sizes are modeled like a planar spiral-shaped array(PSSA).Also,a fractal bowtie nano-antenna is connected with the PSSA in the array gap.This proposed hybrid structure consists of two main elements:(I)Three different sizes of the LSFNAs with two different material types are designed based on the thin-film metal-insulator-metal diodes that are a proper method for infrared energy harvesting.(Ⅱ)The PSSA gap is designed based on the electron field emission proposed by the Fowler-Nordheim theory for the array rectification.Finally,the proposed device is analyzed.The results show that the PSSA not only has an averaged 3-time enhancement in the harvesting characteristics(such as return loss,harvesting efficiency,etc.)than the previously proposed structures but also is a multi-resonance wide-band device.Furthermore,the proposed antenna takes up less space in the electronic circuit and has an easy implementation process.

Bifunctional polyaniline electrode tailored hybridized solar cells for energy harvesting from sun and rain

Pursuit of energy-harvesting or-storage materials to realize outstanding electricity output from nature has been regarded as a promising strategy to resolve the energy-lack issue in the future. Among them,the solar cell as a solar-to-electrical conversion device has been attracted enormous interest to improve the efficiency. However, the ability to generate electricity is highly dependent on the weather conditions,in other words, there is nearly zero power output in dark-light conditions, such as rainy, cloudy, and night, lowering the monolithic power generation capacity. Here, we present a bifunctional polyaniline film via chemical bath deposition, which can harvest energy from the rain, yielding an induced current of 2.57 μA and voltage of 65.5 μV under the stimulus of real raindrop. When incorporating the functional PANi film into the traditional dye sensitized solar cell as a counter electrode, the hybridized photovoltaic can experimentally realize the enhanced output power via harvesting energy from rainy and sunny days. The current work may show a new path for development of advanced solar cells in the future.

Recent progress on nanostructure-based broadband absorbers and their solar energy thermal utilization

Nanostructure-based broadband absorbers are prominently attractive in various research fields such as nanomaterials,nanofabrication,nanophotonics and energy utilization.A highly efficient light absorption in wider wavelength ranges makes such absorbers useful in many solar energy harvesting applications.In this review,we present recent advances of broadband absorbers which absorb light by nanostructures.We start from the mechanism and design strategies of broadband absorbers based on different materials such as carbon-based,plasmonic or dielectric materials and then reviewed recent progress of solar energy thermal utilization dependent on the superior photo-heat conversion capacity of broadband absorbers which may significantly influence the future development of solar energy utilization,seawater purification and photoelectronic device design.

Nanostructured materials with localized surface plasmon resonance for photocatalysis

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enhanced photocatalysis has fascinated much interest and considerable efforts have been devoted toward the development of plasmonic photocatalysts. In the past decades, noble metal nanoparticles (Au and Ag) with LSPR feature have found wide applications in solar energy conversion. Numerous metal-based photocatalysts have been proposed including metal/semiconductor heterostructures and plasmonic bimetallic or multimetallic nanostructures. However, high cost and scarce reserve of noble metals largely limit their further practical use, which drives the focus gradually shift to low-cost and abundant nonmetallic nanostructures. Recently, various heavily doped semiconductors (such as WO_(3-x), MoO_(3-x), Cu_(2-x)S, TiN) have emerged as potential alternatives to costly noble metals for efficient photocatalysis due to their strong LSPR property in visible-near infrared region. This review starts with a brief introduction to LSPR property and LSPR-enhanced photocatalysis, the following highlights recent advances of plasmonic photocatalysts from noble metal to semiconductor-based plasmonic nanostructures. Their synthesis methods and promising applicability in plasmon-driven photocatalytic reactions such as water splitting, CO_(2) reduction and pollution decomposition are also summarized in details. This review is expected to give guidelines for exploring more efficient plasmonic systems and provide a perspective on development of plasmonic photocatalysis.