Optimizing the Shape of SiO2 Anti-Reflective Microstructures on the Cover Glass of a Solar Panel
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.2817Keywords:
anti-reflective coating, microstructure, geometric anti-reflective coating, ARC, geometric ARC, cover glass, SiO2, silica, silicon dioxide, pyramid, cylinder, cone, mound, optimal, optimize, dimensions, shape, optimization, simulation, pvtrace, ray-tracingAbstract
Developing a more efficient solar panel is an essential task to accelerate the deployment of solar photovoltaics to solve the world’s energy crisis. A common way to maximize energy output is to reduce the amount of sunlight reflected off the solar panel via geometric anti-reflection coatings (ARCs). These microstructures prevent light from escaping the solar panel. Utilizing the ray-tracing software, pvtrace, the shape and dimensions of these microstructures were optimized to maximize the amount of light that passes through to the solar cell. The shapes simulated were pyramids, cylinders, cones, and mounds of the material silicon dioxide (SiO2), a common ARC material. For normal angles, the optimized pyramid texture had the greatest light transmission of 0.93. This geometric ARC texture would be most relevant for solar panels with dual-axis tracking that can ensure sunlight approaches the panel at a normal angle. At non-normal incidence angles, different geometries were optimal, with no clear geometry outperforming others at all angles. However, taking an average weighted by solar insolation and the daily solar cycle (relevant to fixed solar panels), the most optimal geometry is a mound structure that produces an average transmission of 0.90. This research identified the most optimal shape and dimension to consider when developing geometric ARCs to maximize light transmission for fixed and dual-axis tracking solar panels, allowing expansion of solar power generation capabilities.
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