Phone losing charge? With photovoltaic polarizers, devices could be powered by sunlight, own backlight
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 - 10:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers have developed a novel energy harvesting and recycling concept for electronic devices -- incorporating their LCD screens with built-in photovoltaic polarizers -- so they could convert ambient light, sunlight, and the device's own backlight into electricity. Called polarizing organic photovoltaics (or ZOPVs), these can potentially boost the function of a LCD, Light Crystal Displays, by working simultaneously as a polarizer, as a photovoltaic device and as an ambient light or sunlight photovoltaic panel.