The ability to architect and assemble materials on a nanometer scale now makes it possible to optimize solar cells at the very length scale at which the relevant photovoltaic semiconductor quantum-physics occurs.  Molecular self-assembly techniques for instance now give us the unprecedented capability of designing and creating nanostructured materials with novel properties.  Such techniques generally rely on formulas that control the precise, bottom-up chemical assembly of molecules into geometric structures composed of many molecules, e.g. in the 1nm to 100nm range.

We have developed a suite of in-house capabilities for creating nanostructured components based on various patented and patent-pending techniques. Nanosolar's component nanoengineering capabilities are focused on certain optoelectronically relevant materials and include semiconductor quantum dots and nanoparticles as well as nanotemplates with precise three-dimensional order.

We use nanostructured components as the basis for creating printable semiconductors, printable transparent electrodes, novel forms of advanced nanocomposite solar-cell architecture, as well as powerful new forms of barrier films. We have developed a product and technology roadmap according to which an increasing range of such innovations can be incorporated into our products over time.