Abstract: Methods and configurations for solar heating and beneficiation of a material, such as raw mine-extracted material like lunar rocks or regolith, are presented. Beneficiation may have an end-goal of purifying the material and/or removing particular impurities or undesired substances from the material. For example, purification or elimination of particular substances from a bulk material may be achieved by vaporizing, via solar or electron beam heating, a portion of the bulk material that does not include the particular substances. The bulk material, sans the particular substances, may be subsequently condensed onto a cold substrate as a thin film, which itself may be placed in a subsequent beneficiation iteration for further elimination of selected substances.

Abstract: Configurations for solar heating and processing of a material, such as a metal or metalloid, are presented. Such processing may have an end-goal of purifying the material or depositing the material as a thin film on a substrate. The use of solar heating allows these processes to occur without electricity, which may be a scarce resource on the moon. Metals and metalloids derived from lunar regolith or other impure feedstocks may lead to materials with impurities. Generally, materials, such as silicon, need to be purified before being utilized. Techniques for solar heating may be applied to purification of these materials. Purification may be achieved by melting, via solar heating, and resolidifying slowly from one direction to another using a directional solidification process.

Abstract: A solar cell that incorporates a thin layer of iron oxide (FeOx), and a number of techniques for fabricating the solar cell, are presented. The thin layer of iron oxide, which may be derived from lunar regolith, may be the emitter of the solar cell. The solar cell may be a silicon hetero-junction (HJ) solar cell. The FeOx may be present in place of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), MoOx, or various organic materials, for example. An emitter comprising FeOx may be beneficial for solar cell fabrication on the moon.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to structures for the conversion of light into energy. More specifically, the disclosure describes devices for conversion of light to electricity using photovoltaic cells layered with a nanostructure that resonates and undergoes Whispering Gallery Mode.