Author Topic: Terahertz Pulse Produces 1000x More Electron-Hole Pairs  (Read 1995 times)

Offline sanman

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A terahertz pulse is capable of producing a thousandfold increase in the number of electron-hole pairs:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-terahertz-pulse-electron-density-fold.html

So could this effect also be harnessed to improve solar power? Incident photons here on Earth aren't in the terahertz range, but what about for solar panels in space?

Also, solar radiation isn't in the form of pulses, but could it somehow be modulated to make it that way, thus producing more current per photon?
We already try to modify incoming solar radiation through the use of solar concentrators, so would it be feasible to modulate it into pulses somehow?

Offline JohnFornaro

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Re: Terahertz Pulse Produces 1000x More Electron-Hole Pairs
« Reply #1 on: 12/21/2011 12:41 am »
Well good.  I was personally starting to run out of 'em...

Gotta go...
Sometimes I just flat out don't get it.

Offline Proponent

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Re: Terahertz Pulse Produces 1000x More Electron-Hole Pairs
« Reply #2 on: 12/21/2011 04:12 am »
The solar spectrum peaks at a wavelength of roughly half a micron; terahertz radiation corresponds to a wavelength of hundreds of microns, so the amount of terahertz radiation available from the sun is many orders of magnitude less than the amount of visible radiation.
« Last Edit: 12/21/2011 04:41 am by Proponent »

Offline Namechange User

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Re: Terahertz Pulse Produces 1000x More Electron-Hole Pairs
« Reply #3 on: 12/21/2011 04:35 am »
A terahertz pulse is capable of producing a thousandfold increase in the number of electron-hole pairs:


Just out of curiosity, does this involve having to modify and remodulate the deflector dish to emit a tachyon pulse in order to compensate?  ;)

All good, way above my head.  Carry on. 
« Last Edit: 12/21/2011 04:40 am by OV-106 »
Enjoying viewing the forum a little better now by filtering certain users.

Offline khallow

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Re: Terahertz Pulse Produces 1000x More Electron-Hole Pairs
« Reply #4 on: 01/04/2012 04:08 pm »
Sounds a bit like a solid-state version of a plasma. Maybe hitting certain solar cells with one of these pulses could increase their ability to absorb photons for a brief period? Outside of that, don't see much use for this property to solar cells.
Karl Hallowell

Offline go4mars

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Re: Terahertz Pulse Produces 1000x More Electron-Hole Pairs
« Reply #5 on: 01/04/2012 05:39 pm »
Also, solar radiation isn't in the form of pulses, but could it somehow be modulated to make it that way, thus producing more current per photon?
We already try to modify incoming solar radiation through the use of solar concentrators, so would it be feasible to modulate it into pulses somehow?
  One way to do it:  Giant radial fresnel lens (http://www.langorigami.com/science/technology/eyeglass/eyeglass.php) with a second sheet up against the reflector which rotates in oppsite direction to the fresnel lens (if one is clockwise the other is not).   lens sheet either has blocking portions or beam splitting in radial geometry.   
Elasmotherium; hurlyburly Doggerlandic Jentilak steeds insouciantly gallop in viridescent taiga, eluding deluginal Burckle's abyssal excavation.

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