Nano antennas focus light on solar panels

Konarka Technologies, which is developing flexible solar panels, will team up with Solaris Nanosciences to insert technology into these panels that will better harvest energy from the sun. Solaris specializes in tiny metal structures. By making the antenna smaller than the wavelength of light, it can potentially absorb and transfer the light more efficiently, resulting in enhanced energy conversion efficiencies.

Although still in its start-up phase, Konarka has landed deals with, among others, the U.S. Army to create tents coated with the company's solar cells that can provide electric light to the inhabitants.