Building on research that has found a way to amplify the magnetic effect of light waves millions of times, researchers at The University of Michigan hope to generate electricity from sunlight without semiconductors or photovoltaic panels. The researchers call the charge separation phenomenon an “optical battery.”  The Department of Defense has already shown an interest in the research, and the search is on for a material that best captures the magnetic effect. The team is exploring both polymers and high-temperature transparent ceramics. In theory, this technology could be paired with PV panels positioned behind the magnetic field generator (since light energy will not be transformed by the magnetic field) to provide two sources of electric generation.