New solar materials developed by Stanford scientists could usher in ultrathin, lightweight solar panel

Transition metal dichalcogenide solar cells ona flexible polyimide substrate.

Transition metal dichalcogenides - or TMDs - absorb ultrahigh levels of sunlight, is thin, lightweight and flexible which holds promise to be used in mobile applications, from self-powered wearable devices and sensors to lightweight aircraft and electric vehicles. The Stanford prototype realized 100-times greater power-to-weight ratio of any TMDs yet developed.