OPTICAL SYSTEM FOR BIFACIAL SOLAR CELL
An apparatus and a method for its fabrication. The device may include a bifacial solar cell comprising a partially-transparent first surface and a partially-transparent second surface opposite the first surface, and an optical element comprising a first partially-transparent dielectric portion in contact with the first surface and the second surface. The optical element may be configured to receive light, to direct a first portion of the received light to the first surface, and to direct a second portion of the received light to the second surface.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a solar cell comprising:
a partially-transparent first surface;
a partially-transparent second surface;
a first p-n junction between the first surface and the second surface;
a second p-n junction between the first surface and the second surface; and
a third p-n junction between the first surface and the second surface,
wherein a first bandgap associated with the first p-n junction is greater than a second bandgap associated with the second p-n junction, and
wherein a third bandgap associated with the third p-n junction is greater than the second bandgap associated with the second p-n junction; and
an optical element comprising a first partially-transparent dielectric portion in direct thermal contact with the first surface and the second surface,
wherein the optical element is configured to receive light, to direct a first portion of the received light to the first surface, and to direct a second portion of the received light to the second surface.
2 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element is further configured to concentrate the received light,
wherein the first portion of the received light comprises a first portion of the concentrated light, and
wherein the second portion of the received light comprises a second portion of the concentrated light.
3 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat spreader coupled to a surface of the first partially-transparent dielectric portion of the optical element.
4 . An apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the surface of the first partially-transparent dielectric portion exhibits a three-dimensional shape, and
wherein the heat spreader exhibits a shape inverse to the three-dimensional shape.
5 . An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first partially-transparent portion comprises sapphire.
6 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first partially-transparent portion comprises sapphire.
7 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a concentrating solar collector configured to receive sunlight, to concentrate the received sunlight, and to direct the concentrated sunlight to the optical element.
8 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element further comprises a second substantially-transparent dielectric portion in contact with the first substantially-transparent dielectric portion.
9 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first partially-transparent dielectric portion comprises a solid.
10 . A method comprising:
acquiring a solar cell comprising:
a partially-transparent first surface;
a partially-transparent second surface;
a first p-n junction between the first surface and the second surface;
a second p-n junction between the first surface and the second surface; and
a third p-n junction between the first surface and the second surface,
wherein a first bandgap associated with the first p-n junction is greater than a second bandgap associated with the second p-n junction, and
wherein a third bandgap associated with the third p-n junction is greater than the second bandgap associated with the second p-n junction; and
fabricating an optical element comprising a first partially-transparent dielectric portion in direct thermal contact with the first surface and the second surface,
wherein the optical element is configured to receive light, to direct a first portion of the received light to the first surface, and to direct a second portion of the received light to the second surface.
11 . A method according to claim 10 , wherein the optical element is further configured to concentrate the received light,
wherein the first portion of the received light comprises a first portion of the concentrated light, and
wherein the second portion of the received light comprises a second portion of the concentrated light.
12 . A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
coupling a heat spreader to a surface of the first partially-transparent dielectric portion of the optical element,
wherein the surface of the first partially-transparent dielectric portion exhibits a three-dimensional shape, and
wherein the heat spreader exhibits a shape inverse to the three-dimensional shape.
13 . A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
coupling the optical element to a concentrating solar collector configured to receive sunlight, to concentrate the received sunlight, and to direct the concentrated sunlight to the optical element.
14 . A method according to claim 10 , wherein the optical element further comprises a second substantially-transparent dielectric portion in contact with the first substantially-transparent dielectric portion.
15 . A method according to claim 10 , wherein the first substantially-transparent dielectric portion comprises a solid.