Solar radiation directly to microwaves Forum: SSI-List
Thread: Solar radiation directly to microwaves
# 15547 byCharles Radley on Aug. 8, 2001, 10:03 a.m.
Member since 2022-08-22
>
> I had a thought last night,
>
> Instead of using photovoltaics, would it be possible to shift the frequency
> of the solar radiation more directly to microwave, and avoid the steps of
> converting to and from electricity?
>
At an SSI conference in 1980/1-ish there was a demo of a
"photo-klystron" which converts sunlight into microwave directly. I do
not know how efficient it was.