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Polymer Encapsulants Incorporating Light‐Guiding Architectures to Increase Optical Energy Conversion in Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Biria Saeid,
Chen Fu Hao,
Pathreeker Shreyas,
Hosein Ian D.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201705382
Subject(s) - materials science , fabrication , optoelectronics , polymer , solar cell , energy conversion efficiency , nanotechnology , polymer solar cell , hybrid solar cell , composite material , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
The fabrication of a new type of solar cell encapsulation architecture comprising a periodic array of step‐index waveguides is reported. The materials are fabricated through patterning with light in a photoreactive binary blend of crosslinking acrylate and urethane, wherein phase separation induces the spontaneous, directed formation of broadband, cylindrical waveguides. This microstructured material efficiently collects and transmits optical energy over a wide range of entry angles. Silicon solar cells comprising this encapsulation architecture show greater total external quantum efficiencies and enhanced wide‐angle light capture and conversion. This is a rapid, straightforward, and scalable approach to process light‐collecting structures, whereby significant increases in cell performance may be achieved.