Efficient micro-concentrator for microsystems-enabled photovoltaics.

MOTIVATION In response to the DOE SunShot initiative to achieve utility scale solar power generation at $1 per watt peak, Sandia National Laboratories is investigating a microsystems-enabled photovoltaics (MEPV) approach that combines the high conversion efficiencies of concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) with the form factor and low system costs of flat panel PV. MEPV combines solar cells having lateral dimensions smaller than 1 mm with micro-optic concentrators to reduce the use of expensive semiconductor materials and to increase solar conversion efficiency [1]. While existing semiconductor infrastructure is being leveraged for MEPV cell research [2], a parallel effort is underway to develop design and fabrication techniques for MEPV micro-optics.