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.

© 2011 OSA

1. S. R. Wenham, M. A. Green, M. E. Watt, and R. Corkish, Applied Photovoltaics , 2nd ed. (Earthscan Publications Ltd., 2007).
2. L. Wen, L. Yueqiang, C. Jianjun, C. Yanling, W. Xiaodong, and Y. Fuhua, “Optimization of grid design for solar cells,” J. Semicond. 31(1), 014006 (2010). [CrossRef]
3. P. Benítez, J. C. Miñano, P. Zamora, R. Mohedano, A. Cvetkovic, M. Buljan, J. Chaves, and M. Hernández, “High performance Fresnel-based photovoltaic concentrator,” Opt. Express 18(S1), A25–A40 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. J. E. Cotter, R. B. Hall, M. G. Mauk, and A. M. Barnett, “Light trapping in silicon-film solar cells with rear pigmented dielectric reflectors,” Prog. Photovoltaics 7, 261–274 (1999). [CrossRef]
5. J. Jaus, H. Pantsar, J. Eckert, M. Duell, H. Herfurth, and D. Doble, “Light management for reduction of bus bar and gridline shadowing in photovoltaic modules,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (IEEE2010), pp. 979–983 (2010). [CrossRef]
6. S. Sinzinger and J. Jahns, “Integrated micro-optical imaging system with a high interconnection capacity fabricated in planar optics,” Appl. Opt. 36, 4729–4735 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. Y. Kuroiwa, N. Takeshima, Y. Narita, S. Tanaka, and K. Hirao, “Arbitrary micropatterning method in femtosecond laser microprocessing using diffractive optical elements,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 12, 1908–1915 (2004).
8. K. M. Davis, K. Miura, N. Sugimoto, and K. Hirao, “Writing waveguides in glass with a femtosecond laser,” Opt. Lett. 21, 1729–1731 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. M. G. Moharam, E. B. Grann, D. A. Pommet, and T. K. Gaylord, “Formulation for stable and efficient implementation of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis of binary gratings,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 12, 1068–1076 (1995). [CrossRef]
10. J. Choi, M. Ramme, T. Anderson, and M. C. Richardson, “Femtosecond laser written embedded diffractive optical elements and their applications,” Proc. SPIE 7589, 75891A (2010). [CrossRef]
11. R. W. Gerchberg and W. O. Saxton, “A practical algorithm for the determination of phase from image and diffraction plane pictures,” Optik (Stuttgart) 35, 237–246 (1972).
12. P. Russbueldt, T. Mans, J. Weitenberg, H. D. Hoffmann, and R. Poprawe, “Compact diode-pumped 1.1 kW Yb:YAG Innoslab femtosecond amplifier,” Opt. Lett. 35(24), 4169–4171 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Opt.

• S. Sinzinger and J. Jahns, “Integrated micro-optical imaging system with a high interconnection capacity fabricated in planar optics,” Appl. Opt. 36, 4729–4735 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• Y. Kuroiwa, N. Takeshima, Y. Narita, S. Tanaka, and K. Hirao, “Arbitrary micropatterning method in femtosecond laser microprocessing using diffractive optical elements,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 12, 1908–1915 (2004).

J. Opt. Soc. Am. A

• M. G. Moharam, E. B. Grann, D. A. Pommet, and T. K. Gaylord, “Formulation for stable and efficient implementation of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis of binary gratings,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 12, 1068–1076 (1995). [CrossRef]

J. Semicond.

• L. Wen, L. Yueqiang, C. Jianjun, C. Yanling, W. Xiaodong, and Y. Fuhua, “Optimization of grid design for solar cells,” J. Semicond. 31(1), 014006 (2010). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• P. Benítez, J. C. Miñano, P. Zamora, R. Mohedano, A. Cvetkovic, M. Buljan, J. Chaves, and M. Hernández, “High performance Fresnel-based photovoltaic concentrator,” Opt. Express 18(S1), A25–A40 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• K. M. Davis, K. Miura, N. Sugimoto, and K. Hirao, “Writing waveguides in glass with a femtosecond laser,” Opt. Lett. 21, 1729–1731 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. Russbueldt, T. Mans, J. Weitenberg, H. D. Hoffmann, and R. Poprawe, “Compact diode-pumped 1.1 kW Yb:YAG Innoslab femtosecond amplifier,” Opt. Lett. 35(24), 4169–4171 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Optik (Stuttgart)

• R. W. Gerchberg and W. O. Saxton, “A practical algorithm for the determination of phase from image and diffraction plane pictures,” Optik (Stuttgart) 35, 237–246 (1972).

Proc. SPIE

• J. Choi, M. Ramme, T. Anderson, and M. C. Richardson, “Femtosecond laser written embedded diffractive optical elements and their applications,” Proc. SPIE 7589, 75891A (2010). [CrossRef]

Prog. Photovoltaics

• J. E. Cotter, R. B. Hall, M. G. Mauk, and A. M. Barnett, “Light trapping in silicon-film solar cells with rear pigmented dielectric reflectors,” Prog. Photovoltaics 7, 261–274 (1999). [CrossRef]

Other

• J. Jaus, H. Pantsar, J. Eckert, M. Duell, H. Herfurth, and D. Doble, “Light management for reduction of bus bar and gridline shadowing in photovoltaic modules,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (IEEE2010), pp. 979–983 (2010). [CrossRef]
• S. R. Wenham, M. A. Green, M. E. Watt, and R. Corkish, Applied Photovoltaics , 2nd ed. (Earthscan Publications Ltd., 2007).

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