Murali wanted flexible solar panels, but using monocrystalline silicon posed a challenge. “Everything crystalline will eventually crack,” Murali said. “Can we make sure every electron will find its way, even if a bullet went through?”
To answer that, the company changed the way cells are connected within a panel. Merlin beefed up the number of connections front and back and, between cells, made the interconnects springy so they could bounce back after being bent.