Cheap, solar panels that mimic the eye

A significant breakthrough from Rice University has reveal it will be efficient to harness the power of sunlight into the photovoltaic solar cells with low-cost semiconductors like metal oxides by incorporating nano photonics into future applications instead of the expensive elements like gallium and indium.

It is by shining light on a metallic nano particle or nano structure the micro electric structure in the metal creates waves of electrons which flow across the nano particles. It converts light into plasmons similar to color display monitors and color sensors that mimic the eye. The plasmonics nano structures have optical properties that can be precisely controlled by modifying their shape.