The Next Einstein COMPETITION ENTRY

ENTRY DESCRIPTION

Currently electricity is generated by fire making steam and spinning wheels. Solid state generation is vastly more efficient, environmentally friendly and essential for space travel. It is the future!

It is beyond question that electricity can produce heat and other forms of radiation. In limited ways this equation can be reversed, such as with solar panels or Pelletier tiles. My Einstein entry will outline the technology that should raise the efficiency of converting various wavelengths of radiation directly to electricity. The process is solid state, with no moving parts. The shortfalls of existing technology are that most of the radiation spectrum, such as sunlight or IR are reflected away or not converted. The large solar panels in use today are late first generation operating at about 15%. Second generation converters will be quite different and should be able to achieve better than 50% rates. Let me propose their construction: *Built as 4 or 6 sided, small interchangeable modules, installed in an shaped array facing a source. *Parabolic shape with internal fins to collect and trap maximum radiation. *Fin coatings to be multiple micro layered diffraction crystals on electron rich substrates. The active layers will have a large potential election differential. Final chemistry will vary depending on radiation input, such as sunlight, IR, X, etc. *Early second generation may have to be water cooled. It is expected that current heat based generating stations, sources of industrial waste heat and hopefully harvesting excess environmental heat will move to this technology. Possibilities and economics are off the scale!