Enhanced Light Harvesting in Photovoltaic Devices Using an Edge-Located One-Dimensional Grating Polydimethylsiloxane Membrane

Abstract

In streamlined multipurpose applications for light management and protection, encapsulants are merged with photonic crystal structures into solar modules. We present an edge-located 1D grating, attachable polymer on the top of a photovoltaic module to provide a strategy for capturing solar light and improving cell efficiency. Large-area solar arrays suffer from space utilization problems due to nonactive area. The introduction of periodically patterned gratings with specific geometric range is highly preferred to redirect the light toward photovoltaic active areas. To realize optimized broadband light diffraction for solar devices, the theoretical analysis of onedimensional line patterned diffraction gratings was performed through wave-optic-based simulation. Based on the experimental results, the replica molding-based patterning method was adopted to fabricate the grating polymer for low-cost thin-film production. Also, we demonstrated enhanced light collection by grating patterned encapsulants with improved current density in comparison to the performance of a flat surface.

Lithography-Free, Large-Area Spatially Segmented Disordered Structure for Light Harvesting in Photovoltaic Modules

“…Based on the design of the photonic structure to deliver sunlight into the active area, structural approaches such as the use of prisms, randomly scattered pyramid structures, , tapered structures, , diffraction gratings, , correlating nanostructure, and periodic/nonperiodic array , have been reported. Fundamentally, focused on either antireflection (AR) or light redirection, its designing and processing results are successfully presented. − However, to address the entailing issues from optical losses, a more robust/comprehensive strategy is necessary, which can simultaneously control the incident light to achieve AR, light collection, and complete light trapping. , Furthermore, to maximize the light harvesting performance with satisfactory cost-effectiveness of modularization of the PV system and scalability, simple-processed and affordable photonic structures are required. However, the complicated process and the sophisticated pattering still highly diminish the cost-effectiveness and further limit the mass production on a large scale. − …”

Microfiber Optic Arrays as Top Coatings for Front-Contact Solar Cells toward Mitigation of Shading Loss

“…Several approaches have been considered to mitigate contact losses, specifically through the implementation of optical effects via structuring of a top layer or coating the solar cell surface to manage light propagation and transmission. Such approaches have included nanoparticle surface coatings, nanostructured diffractive, diffuse, and scattering layers, − gratings, nanotexturing, geometric optical structures, , more sophisticated methods such as contact cloaking, − and even, alternatively, back-contact architectures . Particle coatings can be costly, wasteful, and complicated to predict and optimize.…”

Hierarchically Designed Light Trapping Films for All‐Day Operating Semitransparent Photovoltaics

“…[18] However, the majority of previous work has been based on the one-directional illumination that commonly occurs on the top surfaces of the devices. [23,24] Moreover, the existing nanoscale or micrometer patterns of antireflection films maintain low reflectance for both forward and backward directions of incidence and those are not appropriate for thin absorbers with a backside reflector. Furthermore, ST-OPVs…”