World's First Solar-Powered Microchip Could Eliminate Batteries

By integrating photovoltaic cells directly into electronics, it could eliminate the need for even rechargeable batteries.
There are a plethora of solar-powered devices on the market today, but most depend on an inconvenient two-part design: some time of solar panel to catch the sun and a battery to store the collected power. While it eliminates the need for an electrical outlet, this design still requires downtime while the battery charges to a sufficient level.

A new system devised by researchers at the University of Twente's MESA+ Institute of Nanotechnology places high-efficiency solar cells straight onto the electronics instead, eliminating the wait, the cord, and the battery in one fell swoop.

To construct the self-powering chips, researchers decided to use solar cells made of amorphous silicon or CIGS (copper - indium - gallium - selenide). The manufacturing procedure for these cells does not influence the electronics, and they are able to produce sufficient power, even in low, indoor light.

World's First Solar-Powered Microchip Could Eliminate Batteries | Crisp Green