Enhancing photovoltaic output power by 3-band spectrum-splitting and concentration using a diffractive micro-optic
Abstract
We report the enhancement of photovoltaic output power by separating the incident spectrum into 3 bands, and concentrating these bands onto 3 different photovoltaic cells. The spectrum-splitting and concentration is achieved via a thin, planar micro-optical element that demonstrates high optical efficiency over the entire spectrum of interest. The optic (which we call a polychromat) was designed using a modified version of the direct-binary-search algorithm. The polychromat was fabricated using grayscale lithography. Rigorous optical characterization demonstrates excellent agreement with simulation results. Electrical characterization of the solar cells made from GaInP, GaAs and Si indicate increase in the peak output power density of 43.63%, 30.84% and 30.86%, respectively when compared to normal operation without the polychromat. This represents an overall increase of 35.52% in output power density. As a result, the potential for cost-effective large-area manufacturing and for high system efficiencies makes our approach a strong candidate for low cost solar power.
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1242472
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5J00-63316
Journal ID: ISSN 1094-4087; OPEXFF
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Optics Express
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: S6; Related Information: Optics Express; Journal ID: ISSN 1094-4087
- Publisher:
- Optical Society of America (OSA)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; solar energy; diffractive optics; micro-optical devices
Citation Formats
Mohammad, Nabil, Wang, Peng, Friedman, Daniel J., and Menon, Rajesh. Enhancing photovoltaic output power by 3-band spectrum-splitting and concentration using a diffractive micro-optic. United States: N. p., 2014.
Web. doi:10.1364/OE.22.0A1519.
Mohammad, Nabil, Wang, Peng, Friedman, Daniel J., & Menon, Rajesh. Enhancing photovoltaic output power by 3-band spectrum-splitting and concentration using a diffractive micro-optic. United States. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.22.0A1519
Mohammad, Nabil, Wang, Peng, Friedman, Daniel J., and Menon, Rajesh. Wed .
"Enhancing photovoltaic output power by 3-band spectrum-splitting and concentration using a diffractive micro-optic". United States. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.22.0A1519. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1242472.
@article{osti_1242472,
title = {Enhancing photovoltaic output power by 3-band spectrum-splitting and concentration using a diffractive micro-optic},
author = {Mohammad, Nabil and Wang, Peng and Friedman, Daniel J. and Menon, Rajesh},
abstractNote = {We report the enhancement of photovoltaic output power by separating the incident spectrum into 3 bands, and concentrating these bands onto 3 different photovoltaic cells. The spectrum-splitting and concentration is achieved via a thin, planar micro-optical element that demonstrates high optical efficiency over the entire spectrum of interest. The optic (which we call a polychromat) was designed using a modified version of the direct-binary-search algorithm. The polychromat was fabricated using grayscale lithography. Rigorous optical characterization demonstrates excellent agreement with simulation results. Electrical characterization of the solar cells made from GaInP, GaAs and Si indicate increase in the peak output power density of 43.63%, 30.84% and 30.86%, respectively when compared to normal operation without the polychromat. This represents an overall increase of 35.52% in output power density. As a result, the potential for cost-effective large-area manufacturing and for high system efficiencies makes our approach a strong candidate for low cost solar power.},
doi = {10.1364/OE.22.0A1519},
journal = {Optics Express},
number = S6,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Sep 17 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Wed Sep 17 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}
Web of Science
Figures / Tables:
Works referenced in this record:
Design and analysis of multi-wavelength diffractive optics
journal, January 2012
- Kim, Ganghun; Domínguez-Caballero, José A.; Menon, Rajesh
- Optics Express, Vol. 20, Issue 3
Nanoimprint Lithography for High-Efficiency Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells
journal, February 2011
- Battaglia, Corsin; Escarré, Jordi; Söderström, Karin
- Nano Letters, Vol. 11, Issue 2
Spectral beam splitting for efficient conversion of solar energy—A review
journal, December 2013
- Mojiri, Ahmad; Taylor, Robert; Thomsen, Elizabeth
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 28
Increased Photovoltaic Power Output via Diffractive Spectrum Separation
journal, March 2013
- Kim, Ganghun; Dominguez-Caballero, Jose A.; Lee, Howard
- Physical Review Letters, Vol. 110, Issue 12
Spectral beam splitting technology for increased conversion efficiency in solar concentrating systems: a review
journal, October 2004
- Imenes, A. G.; Mills, D. R.
- Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 84, Issue 1-4
Four-junction spectral beam-splitting photovoltaic receiver with high optical efficiency
journal, December 2010
- Mitchell, Bernhard; Peharz, Gerhard; Siefer, Gerald
- Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 19, Issue 1
Photonic design principles for ultrahigh-efficiency photovoltaics
journal, February 2012
- Polman, Albert; Atwater, Harry A.
- Nature Materials, Vol. 11, Issue 3
Recent progress in nanoimprint technology and its applications
journal, May 2004
- Guo, L. Jay
- Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, Vol. 37, Issue 11, p. R123-R141
Towards an optimized all lattice-matched InAlAs/InGaAsP/InGaAs multijunction solar cell with efficiency >50%
journal, January 2013
- Leite, Marina S.; Woo, Robyn L.; Munday, Jeremy N.
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 102, Issue 3
Analysis and design of holographic solar concentrators
conference, August 2008
- Kostuk, Raymond K.; Rosenberg, Glenn
- Solar Energy + Applications, SPIE Proceedings
Works referencing / citing this record:
Broadband imaging with one planar diffractive lens
journal, February 2018
- Mohammad, Nabil; Meem, Monjurul; Shen, Bing
- Scientific Reports, Vol. 8, Issue 1
Figures / Tables found in this record: