Japanese and Swiss scientists have developed glass capable of generating electricity when exposed to light, potentially paving the way for clean energy production.

Using a femtosecond laser, researchers from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne etched circuits onto the glass’s surface, causing it to produce a current.

The unexpected discovery was reported in Physical Review Applied. Yves Bellouard, from the Swiss school, described the technology as “surprising and innovative,” as it transforms the material without additives.

The accidental creation of a semiconductor crystal by researcher Goezden Torun, while experimenting with tellurite glass, led to this breakthrough.

Source: Oman News Agency