Prismatic bioinspired compound lenses for solar cells

Francesco Chiadini; Vincenzo Fiumara; Antonio Scaglione; Akhlesh Lakhtakia

doi:10.1117/12.877646

Prismatic bioinspired compound lenses for solar cells

Francesco Chiadini, Vincenzo Fiumara, Antonio Scaglione, Akhlesh Lakhtakia

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

A silicon prismatic lens, whose shape is inspired by the apposition compound eyes of some dipterans, was investigated to improve the light-harvesting capability of silicon solar cells. The bioinspired compound lens (BCL) has a fractal construction procedure in which the cross-section of the lens is a frustum of a infinitely long circular cylinder at the zeroth-stage, and is decorated with sections of smaller cylinders at higher stages of construction. We found that the light-coupling efficiency of the best performing first-stage BCL cannot be enhanced by higher-order stages and is significantly superior to other kinds of textured surfaces. By coating the lens with a double layer anti-reflection coating further enhancement of efficiency can be obtained. Our strategy can also be adopted for solar cells not made of silicon.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication
Volume	7975
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.877646
State	Published - May 23 2011
Event	Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication - San Diego, CA, United States Duration: Mar 7 2011 → Mar 9 2011

Other

Other	Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication
Country	United States
City	San Diego, CA
Period	3/7/11 → 3/9/11

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1117/12.877646

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Chiadini, F., Fiumara, V., Scaglione, A., & Lakhtakia, A. (2011). Prismatic bioinspired compound lenses for solar cells. In Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication (Vol. 7975). [79750H] https://doi.org/10.1117/12.877646

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title = "Prismatic bioinspired compound lenses for solar cells",

abstract = "A silicon prismatic lens, whose shape is inspired by the apposition compound eyes of some dipterans, was investigated to improve the light-harvesting capability of silicon solar cells. The bioinspired compound lens (BCL) has a fractal construction procedure in which the cross-section of the lens is a frustum of a infinitely long circular cylinder at the zeroth-stage, and is decorated with sections of smaller cylinders at higher stages of construction. We found that the light-coupling efficiency of the best performing first-stage BCL cannot be enhanced by higher-order stages and is significantly superior to other kinds of textured surfaces. By coating the lens with a double layer anti-reflection coating further enhancement of efficiency can be obtained. Our strategy can also be adopted for solar cells not made of silicon.",

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