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If photovoltaic cells can create power from radiation in the visible light range, I suppose there might be radiovoltaics that can do something similar. But I wo

If photovoltaic cells can create power from radiation in the visible light range, I suppose there might be radiovoltaics that can do something similar. But I wonder if they can capture the high power fluxes from a modern core.

actionfromafar 2y ago
Mayne one could run it in the visible range, or almost there. Wasn’t there some new kind of IR solar cells?
- ta988 2y ago
  You have to go the other way of the spectrum toward something that loves to avoid interacting with matter...
  - exabrial 2y ago
    Finally a use for dark matter
    - thayne 2y ago
      But dark matter is matter that doesn't react very much with radiation (including light), so it would react even less.
- baking 2y ago
  I think the issue is the low absorption rate. Eli Yablonovitch proposed a box of PV cells facing inward containing a heat source where the IR light would bounce around until converted to electricity or absorbed as heat. This could be used inside a water heater so waste heat could be stored. Known as thermo-photovoltaics. See this talk I think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDxJsa8miNQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDxJsa8miNQ
  - not2b 2y ago
    Yes, I see how direct conversion could work with alpha and beta radiation, but it seems the gamma and the neutrons would just blast through everything and you'd capture only a tiny percent of the energy.
    - baking 2y ago
      Sorry, I was responding to the part about IR.
- fulafel 2y ago
  We just need some blimp attached mini suns floating in the sky in the night and this can power all the existing solar panels on the ground.