Analysis and fabrication of a photonic crystal based anti-reflective coating for photovoltaics generated by evolutionary optimization

Abstract

We optimize multilayered anti-reflective coatings for photovoltaic devices, using modern evolutionary algorithms. We apply a rigorous methodology to show that a given structure, which is particularly regular, emerge spontaneously in a very systematical way for a very broad range of conditions. The very regularity of the structure allows for a thorough physical analysis of how the designs operate. This allows to understand that the central part is a photonic crystal utilized as a buffer for light, and that the external layers have the purpose of reducing the impedance mismatch between the outer media and the Bloch mode supported by the photonic crystal. This shows how optimization can suggest new design rules and be considered as a source of inspiration. Finally, we fabricate these structures with easily deployable techniques.

References in corpus (4)

• Optimal estimation for Large-Eddy Simulation of turbulence and application to the analysis of subgrid models
• Analysis and fabrication of a photonic crystal based anti-reflective coating for photovoltaics generated by evolutionary optimization
• Optically optimal wavelength-scale patterned ITO/ZnO composite coatings for thin film solar cells
• Ultra thin anti-reflective coatings designed using Differential Evolution

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Analysis and fabrication of a photonic crystal based anti-reflective coating for photovoltaics generated by evolutionary optimization