A window to watch the future (Javier Olea Ariza). Award for scientific photography category of Materials for the Future cluster

The Thin Films and Microelectronics Group of the Facultad de Ciencias Físicas of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in collaboration with the Fundamental Studies Group of the Instituto de Energía Solar of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid have developed a brand new technology based in the concept of intermediate band materials. These new silicon based materials, once integrated in photovoltaic devices will yield high conversion efficiencies at a low cost, setting the solar energy at a competitive place in front of no-renewable sources of energy. Intermediate band materials are included in the third generation of photovoltaic devices. This new generation is based in a bunch of new technologies that are aimed to obtain devices with a high efficiency/cost ratio.