Moths provide an eye opener on reflection

Copying the properties of moths’ eyes could improve the efficiency of solar cells, thanks to a collaboration between the University of Southampton and Philips in the Netherlands.

Working to specifications from the university’s Nanoscale Systems Integration (NSI) group, the spin-out R&D company Innos has used equipment at Philips’ Eindhoven site to create nanoscale patterns on the surface of a silicon solar cell that could help it collect more light.

The patterns are based on the structures on the surface of the eyes of night-flying moths, explained NSI researcher Darren Bagnall. ‘These prevent reflections, which serves two purposes: it stops predators spotting the moths, and increases the amount of light their eyes collect.’ Current solar cells tend to reflect light when the sun is low in the sky, but applying patterns like those on the moths’ eyes would reduce much of this reflection and increase light collection by around 10 per cent, he added.