Scientists from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) together with colleagues from the Tokyo Institute of Technology have discovered a surprising phenomenon. The short-term impact of the femtosecond laser on tellurite glass transformed it into a photosensitive semiconductor. Thus, it is possible to produce light-sensitive glass, which scientists jokingly liken to alchemy, without any additional materials or effort.

“This is amazing, with the help of light we instantly transform glass into a semiconductor, – said Yves Bellouard, one of the authors of the study. “We’re actually transforming the ingredients into something else, perhaps getting closer to the alchemist’s dream.”

Scientists were interested in the behavior of atoms in tellurite glass (TeO).₂) under the influence of ultrafast pulses of high-energy laser radiation. They discovered that the laser created tiny crystals of tellurium and tellurium oxide, semiconductor materials, within the thickness of glass. This means that areas treated in this way can generate electricity under the influence of daylight.

“The interesting development in this technology is that the process does not require any additional materials. All you need to create an active photoconductive material is tellurite glass and a femtosecond laser.” – added the scientist.

During the experiment, a 1-cm tellurite glass disc obtained from Japan was laser-etched with a line pattern. Under the influence of light from the ultraviolet to the visible range, the treated area produced an electric current that remained stable for months. Similarly, photosensitive sensors and other semiconductor circuits can be created on glass using only a laser light source.

The image can be applied on-site to already assembled glass, transforming it into a smart glass with the required functionality. But ordinary windows are not suitable for this. However, if the technology is adopted by manufacturers, it could lead to a revolution in architecture.