Chinese Researchers Develop Flexible, High-Efficiency Solar Cells.

Chinese researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology have developed a unique technology that allows the edges of textured crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells to be tailored, enabling them to be bent and folded without damage. The newly developed c-Si solar cells can be manufactured to be only between 50 and 60 micrometers thin and possess a bending radius of approximately 8 millimeters. The researchers hope that with the newfound flexibility and thinness of these solar cells, they can be incorporated into various areas such as construction, backpacks, tents, automobiles, sailing boats and even airplanes.