New low-cost high-efficiency solar module: diffracting deflector module

TiO2 based sol-gel microstructuring layer is applied to increase efficiency of solar cells modules or the so-called PV planar concentrators, by reducing the amount of solar cells (silicon based solar cells) while increasing the amount of solar energy trapped into the modules. The proposed solution is based on linear grating whose role is to trap and diffract the incident beam to solar cells. The design of the module and the optimized gratings, to be angularly and spectrally tolerant, are presented. The paper also deals with the fabrication of large and long gratings (m(2) area), using the unique direct photopatterning sol-gel solution, based on the dynamic and continuous gratings writing using phase mask lithograghy.