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Title: 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:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
  2. 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}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
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Cited by: 15 works
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Figures / Tables:

Fig. 1 Fig. 1: (a) Schematic of the polychromat-solar cells configuration. (b) Height distribution of the designed polychromat. (c) Magnified view of the left-most 100 µm of the polychromat.

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Works referenced in this record:

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Broadband imaging with one planar diffractive lens
journal, February 2018


Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.