Can you measure electricity generated by simply shining light on a solar cell? On Wednesday, November 19, VINSE welcomed 15 students from Station Camp High School to the Cleanroom Solar Cell Lab. Inside the VINSE cleanroom, home to the cleanest air in Middle Tennessee, students built a full silicon and polymer hybrid solar cell and used light based stenciling to pattern metal electrodes similar to those found on commercial devices. They also explored how changing different parameters affects the amount of electricity a solar cell can collect, used that electricity to power a lightbulb, and discussed how their findings could lead to more efficient solar technologies.
Special thanks to our NanoGuides who led activities and provided additional explanations for students: Emmanuel Dabuo, Bharat Bharat, and Maxwell Ugwu.
If your school is interested in this opportunity, please contact vinse@vanderbilt.edu for more information.