title: Diffractive optical elements utilized for efficiency enhancement of photovoltaic modules.
abstract: Common solar cells used in photovoltaic modules feature metallic contacts which partially block the sunlight from reaching the semiconductor layer and reduce the overall efficiency of the modules. Diffractive optical elements were generated in the bulk glass of a photovoltaic module by ultrafast laser irradiation to direct light away from the contacts. Calculations of the planar electromagnetic wave diffraction and propagation were performed using the rigorous coupled wave analysis technique providing quantitative estimations for the potential efficiency enhancement of photovoltaic modules.
authors.affiliation: Townes Laser Institute, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA. mingareev@ucf.edu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mingareev
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berlich
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Eichelkraut
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Herfurth
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heinemann
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Richardson