Light trapping optical structure
DCFirst Claim
1. An optical structure, comprising:
- a layer of optically transmissive material defined by a first broad area surface and an opposing second broad area surface extending parallel to said first surface;
an optically absorptive layer disposed in contact with said second surface and in an energy exchange relationship with said layer of optically transmissive material; and
a plurality of light deflecting elements distributed within said layer of optically transmissive material;
wherein each of the plurality of said light deflecting elements is configured to deflect a light ray propagating transversally through said layer of optically transmissive material away from a surface normal so as to form a propagation angle of said light ray with respect to said surface normal, above a predefined critical angle, and wherein said predefined critical angle is selected to result in a multiple transversal passage of light through said optically absorptive layer.
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Abstract
A light trapping optical cover employing an optically transparent layer with a plurality of light deflecting elements. The transparent layer is configured for an unimpeded light passage through its body and has a broad light input surface and an opposing broad light output surface. The light deflecting elements deflect light incident into the transparent layer at a sufficiently high bend angle with respect to a surface normal and direct the deflected light toward a light harvesting device adjacent to the light output surface. The deflected light is retained by means of at least TIR in the system formed by the optical cover and the light harvesting device which allows for longer light propagation paths through the photoabsorptive layer of the device and for an improved light absorption. The optical cover may further employ a focusing array of light collectors being pairwise associated with the respective light deflecting elements.
20 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An optical structure, comprising:
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a layer of optically transmissive material defined by a first broad area surface and an opposing second broad area surface extending parallel to said first surface; an optically absorptive layer disposed in contact with said second surface and in an energy exchange relationship with said layer of optically transmissive material; and a plurality of light deflecting elements distributed within said layer of optically transmissive material; wherein each of the plurality of said light deflecting elements is configured to deflect a light ray propagating transversally through said layer of optically transmissive material away from a surface normal so as to form a propagation angle of said light ray with respect to said surface normal, above a predefined critical angle, and wherein said predefined critical angle is selected to result in a multiple transversal passage of light through said optically absorptive layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification