Corrugated transparent top panel for either increasing or decreasing harvesting of solar radiation and methods thereof

1. A transparent top panel ( 100 ) for an exterior surface of a photovoltaic or solar cell, said transparent top panel comprising an exterior surface, having a layer configured for scattering and diffracting a solar light incident thereto, said layer comprising:

distance-d 1 -spaced primary corrugations made of a transparent composition; and,

said primary corrugations further comprising distance-d 2 -spaced secondary corrugations by means of varying of a thickness or a refractive index thereof within said primary corrugations;

said first distance d 1 is at least 5 times said second distance d 2 ;

wherein:

said secondary corrugations further comprise distance d 3 -spaced tertiary corrugations by means of varying of a thickness or a refractive index thereof within said secondary corrugations;

said second distance d 2 is at least 5 times said third distance d 3 ;

said primary corrugations form a regular, evenly-spaced pattern on said substrate, said secondary corrugations form a regular, evenly-spaced pattern on said primary corrugations and said tertiary corrugations form a regular, evenly-spaced pattern on said secondary corrugations;

a cross-section of said tertiary corrugations comprises a plurality of different slopes;

said corrugations each comprise a base with a two-dimensional shape; and,

each of said first distance d 1 , said second distance d 2 , and said third distance d 3 remains constant along said transparent top panel.

2. The transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein a first shape of said primary corrugations is an at least partially transparent lens-like arrangement selected from the group consisting of circular cross-section, ellipsoidal cross-section and lenticular.

3. The transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein a second shape of said primary corrugations is an at least partially transparent lens-like arrangement selected from the group consisting of tubular, cubic, truncated rectangular pyramid, spherical, and ellipsoidal.

4. The transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein a first shape of said secondary corrugations is an at least partially transparent lens-like arrangement selected from the group consisting of circular cross-section, ellipsoidal cross-section and lenticular.

5. The transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 4 , wherein a second shape of said secondary corrugations is an at least partially transparent lens-like arrangement selected from the group consisting of tubular, cubic, truncated rectangular pyramid, spherical, and ellipsoidal.

6. The transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein a first shape of said tertiary corrugations is an at least partially transparent lens-like arrangement selected from the group consisting of circular cross-section, ellipsoidal cross-section and lenticular.

7. The transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 6 , wherein a second shape of said tertiary corrugations is an at least partially transparent lens-like arrangement selected from the group consisting of tubular, cubic, truncated rectangular pyramid, spherical, and ellipsoidal.

8. The transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following is true:

a cross-section of a member of the group consisting of said primary corrugations, said secondary corrugations and any combination thereof comprises a plurality of different slopes; and

at least a portion of a cross-section of a member of the group consisting of said primary corrugations, said secondary corrugations, said tertiary corrugations and any combination thereof is curved.

9. A transparent top panel ( 100 ) for providing a selected range of incident angles at which solar light is perpendicular to the exterior surface of a photovoltaic or solar cell; wherein a layer of said panel comprises distance-d 1 -spaced primary, substantially sinusoidal corrugations of magnitude M 1 ; said primary corrugations further comprising distance-d 2 -spaced secondary, substantially sinusoidal corrugations of magnitude M 2 ; said secondary corrugations further comprising distance d 3 -spaced tertiary, substantially sinusoidal corrugations of magnitude M 3 ;

wherein d 3 <d 2 <d 1 ; and,

one or more parameters comprising distance ratios d 1 :d 2 and d 1 :d 3 are configured for a selected said range of incident angles.

10. The panel of claim 9 , wherein said spacing ratio d 1 :d 2 is at least 5 and said spacing ratio d 1 :d 3 is at least 25.

11. The panel of claim 9 , wherein said parameters configured for a said chosen range of incident angles further comprise the magnitude ratios M 1 :M 2 and M 1 :M 3 .

12. The panel of claim 11 , wherein said magnitude ratios are further selected from a range configured to trap of light from multiple reflections.

13. The panel of claim 9 , made of polymer(s), glass(es), sol(s), gel(s), sol-gel(s), composite material(s) and any mixture or combination thereof.

14. The panel of claim 9 , wherein said panel comprises a first surface and a second opposite surface said second surface is interconnected with or otherwise comprises an adhesive, glue or fixating means.

15. A method for optimizing an incident angle for collecting solar light at the exterior surface of a photovoltaic or solar cell, said method comprising providing a transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 1 .

16. A transparent top panel ( 100 ) for an exterior surface of a photovoltaic or solar cell, said transparent top panel comprising an exterior surface, having a layer configured for scattering and diffracting a solar light incident thereto; wherein:

said layer comprises primary, secondary and tertiary corrugations;

said primary corrugations comprise secondary corrugations, said secondary corrugations characterized by a varying thickness or refractive index thereof within said primary corrugations;

said secondary corrugations comprise tertiary corrugations; and,

at least a portion of said corrugations comprises a base with a two-dimensional shape.

17. A method for optimizing an incident angle for collecting a solar light at the exterior surface of a photovoltaic or solar cell, said method comprising a transparent top panel ( 100 ) of claim 16 .

18. The transparent top panel according to claim 9 , wherein said the distances d 1 , d 2 , d 3 are selected such that said transparent top panel is configured to absorb light from a minimum incident angle of 10 degrees.

19. The transparent top panel according to claim 11 , wherein said magnitude ratios M 1 :M 2 and M 1 :M 3 are selected such that said transparent top panel is configured to absorb light from a minimum incident angle of 10 degrees.