Performance and durability of broadband antireflection coatings for thin film CdTe solar cells
TLDR
In this article, the authors report on the design, deposition, and testing of multilayer broadband antireflection coatings, which reduce the weighted average reflection over the wavelength range used by thin film CdTe devices to just ∼1.22%.Abstract:
Light reflection from the glass surface of a photovoltaic (PV) module is a significant source of energy loss for all types of PV devices. The reflection at the glass and air interface accounts for ∼4% of the total energy. Single layer antireflection coatings with sufficiently low refractive index have been used, such as those using magnesium fluoride or porous silica, but these are only effective over a narrow range of wavelengths. In this paper, the authors report on the design, deposition, and testing of multilayer broadband antireflection coatings. These coatings reduce the weighted average reflection over the wavelength range used by thin film CdTe devices to just ∼1.22%, resulting in a 3.6% relative increase in device efficiency. The authors have used multilayer stacks consisting of silica and zirconia layers deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering. Details of the stack design, sputter deposition process parameters, and the optical and microstructural properties of the layers are provided. Anti...read more
Citations
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Transparent heat regulating (THR) materials and coatings for energy saving window applications: Impact of materials design, micro-structural, and interface quality on the THR performance
Goutam Kumar Dalapati,Ajay Kushwaha,Mohit Sharma,Vignesh Suresh,Santiranjan Shannigrahi,Siarhei Zhuk,Siarhei Zhuk,Saeid Masudy-Panah,Saeid Masudy-Panah +8 more
TL;DR: In this article, the development of energy saving transparent heat regulating (THR) materials and coating for energy saving window applications has been discussed, and detailed analysis of growth of continuous and thin metal layer influence of the seed layer (germanium and nickel) and doping on the growth mechanism of thin metal have been discussed.
Journal ArticleDOI
Anti-Reflective Coating Materials: A Holistic Review from PV Perspective
Natarajan Shanmugam,Rishi Pugazhendhi,Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan,Pitchandi Kasiviswanathan,Narottam Das +4 more
TL;DR: This study highlights the development of ARCs from a PV application perspective based on various materials and addresses the significant challenges faced by ARCs and future outlook by emphasizing the various strategies that aid in trapping the light in the solar cells.
Journal ArticleDOI
The performance and durability of single-layer sol-gel anti-reflection coatings applied to solar module cover glass
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the damage resistance of a single-layer closed-surface hard coat ARC, deposited using sol-gel methods by applying a variety of accelerated weathering, scratch and abrasion test methods.
Journal ArticleDOI
Testing the Durability of Anti-Soiling Coatings for Solar Cover Glass by Outdoor Exposure in Denmark
Gizelle C. Oehler,Fabiana Lisco,Farwah Bukhari,Soňa Uličná,Ben Strauss,Kurt L. Barth,John M. Walls +6 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the performance of two transparent hydrophobic coatings (A and B) exposed to the outdoor environment of coastal Denmark for 24 weeks was reported. But, although initial results were promising, water contact angle and transmittance values were found to decline continuously for all coated and uncoated coupons.
Journal ArticleDOI
Artificial linear brush abrasion of coatings for photovoltaic module first-surfaces
Jimmy M. Newkirk,Illya Nayshevsky,Archana Sinha,Adam M Law,QianFeng Xu,Bobby To,Paul F. Ndione,Laura T. Schelhas,John M. Walls,Alan Michael Lyons,David C. Miller +10 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used Nylon 6/12 bristles to explore the durability of representative PV first-surfaces, i.e., the surface of a module incident to direct solar radiation.
References
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Solar cell efficiency tables (version 47)
Journal ArticleDOI
Anti-reflection (AR) coatings made by sol–gel processes: A review
TL;DR: In this paper, the development of sol-gel derived anti-reflection (AR) coating on different substrates for various applications in the past 40 years is reviewed. And the major approaches to fabricate AR coating and their characteristics have been discussed.
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History of accelerated and qualification testing of terrestrial photovoltaic modules: A literature review
Carl R. Osterwald,T. J. McMahon +1 more
TL;DR: The intent and history of these qualification tests, provided in this review, shows that standard module qualification test results cannot be used to obtain or infer a product lifetime.
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Non-volatile organic memory with sub-millimetre bending radius
Richard Hahnkee Kim,Hae Jin Kim,Insung Bae,Sun Kak Hwang,Dhinesh Babu Velusamy,Suk Man Cho,Kazuto Takaishi,Tsuyoshi Muto,Daisuke Hashizume,Masanobu Uchiyama,Pascal André,Fabrice Mathevet,Benoît Heinrich,Tetsuya Aoyama,Dae Eun Kim,Hyungsuk Lee,Jean-Charles Ribierre,Cheolmin Park +17 more
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Densification and properties of zirconia prepared by three different sintering techniques
Paul Inge Dahl,Ingeborg Kaus,Zhe Zhao,Mats Johnsson,Mats Nygren,Kjell Wiik,Tor Grande,Mari-Ann Einarsrud +7 more
TL;DR: In this article, the densification of nanocrystalline yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powder with 8 mol% Y2O3, prepared by a glycine/nitrate smoldering combustion method, was investigated by spark plasma sintering.
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