Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Physical Sciences
Department of Physics
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
A consortium of physicists of UP, RAU and UPE is currently developing new materials for use in inexpensive solar panels. In this new technology compounds of copper, indium, gallium, sulphur and selenium are combined in a single crystal structure. This yields a material that is much more efficient than silicon for converting sunlight to electricity. Prof. Danie Auret and his Electronic Materials Research Group in the Physics Department handle the electrical characterization aspects of these materials essential for optimising materials selection and processing parameters. One of the most important aspects of this technology is the drastically reduced production costs compared to silicon. In the long term this will make conversion from sunlight to energy a cheaper energy source than charcoal or oil, which in turn has far-reaching consequences for the serious problems of air pollution, the greenhouse effect and climatic changes. The Innovation Fund of the Department of Science and Technology has made more than 13 million Rand available over a period of three years to complete this project.
Contact person: Prof FD Auret.
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