ULM, Germany, Sep 27, 2006 -- UPI

 

German scientists have used the photonic crystal structure of dentin as an inspiration to propose a new method of using sunlight to produce electricity.

Andrei Sommer and Michael Gente of the University of Ulm say tooth structure bears similarities to photonic crystals, which allow certain wavelengths to enter their internal structure but block others. Applications of the effect might include harvesting sunlight for photovoltaic cells.

"The light-collector mechanism in dentin could serve as a model for the design of solar concentrator arrays," the researchers said. "Arrays of tooth-like structures mounted on silicon permit collection of sunlight virtually independent of the angle of incidence of the sun, which could be vital, for instance, in Antarctica."

The full study -- "Biomimetics: From Teeth to Photonic Crystal Solar Light Collectors" -- appears in the September-October issue of the American Chemical Society journal Energy & Fuels.

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