Revisiting Photovoltaic Module Antireflection Coatings: A Novel, Dense Sol–Gel Design to Address Long‐Standing Durability Limitations

Abstract

The antireflection (AR) coating applied to solar glass in photovoltaic modules has remained largely unchanged for decades, despite its well‐documented lack of durability. Traditional porous structured single‐layer AR coatings last as little as 5 years in the field. In this paper, we propose a novel five‐layer dense AR coating design that offers improved durability and effectiveness compared to traditional coatings. This paper provides detailed insights into the development and characterization of the novel five‐layer AR coating, including simulation, optical measurements, and abrasion testing, providing guidance to the photovoltaic community seeking to improve the efficiency and longevity of solar modules.