there are things that bear further analysis with the black silicon... first, the lack of reflectivity does not necessarily mean more photoenergy conversion from the silicon, it just means less reflected energy. Low angle reflections within the crevices might actually result in more loss, not less.
I am also wondering how solar cell output can be increased 5 to 10X unless we are referring to the amorphous silicon cells with only a few percent conversion efficiencies.
The real challenge in solar cell efficiency gains is to design multiple bandgap junctions so that more of the photon energy can be recovered. Photons below the band gap do little more than create heat, those above create electron-hole pairs at the band gap energy only. The excess energy again goes to heat.
Dave Cooper
Created on Sunday, June 03, 2001 1:13 AM EDT by David Cooper