The solar plasmonic project SOLAMON was launched by the European Commission (EC) in February 2009. The project SOLAMON (Plasmon Generating Nanocomposite Materials for 3rd Generation Thin Film Solar Cells) is coordinated by CEA-LITEN (France).

The objective of SOLAMON is to improve the energy conversion efficiency of thin-film solar cells through the plasmonic effect. This effect will be generated by the optimized integration of metallic nanoparticles in three types of solar cells (amorphous silicon, organic and dye-sensitized solar cells).

For 2 years, the SOLAMON consortium will develop plasmonic simulation, synthesis of finely controlled metallic nanoparticles and opto-electronic simulation of thin-film solar cells that integrate nanoparticles; the consortium will then quantify the improvement of energy conversion efficiency due to the plasmonic effect.

SOLAMON project gathers 5 partners among the major European thin film solar cells players together with the Australian pioneer in the field of improvement of solar cells performances through nanomaterials.

The project will demonstrate the feasibility of increasing energy conversion efficiency of thin film solar cells through plasmonic effect, which will pave the way to the so-called generation III solar cells that combines both, low-cost and high-efficiency.