The first known Nitride/Silicon tandem solar cell was recently announced with a breakthrough demonstration. The same Nitride material technology is used in the cell as in solid state lightning and blue lasers. RoseStreet Labs Energy, Inc. (RSLE) created and tested a photovoltaic cell that combines a silicon solar cell with Nitride Thin Film. The company has reached a turning point with this discovery, in the road to achieving higher solar efficiencies than standard silicon or other thin film solar cells. RSLE is planning to start production of this technology in 2010, and the device is expected to reach practical efficiencies of 25-30%.

This discovery is found on RSLE's Full Spectrum photovoltaic product road map. Nitride Thin Film semiconductors are the basis of Full Spectrum technology; they are extremely hardy and can withstand extreme environments like particle radiation, heat and corrosive environments…