Metasurface-based solar cell covers with self-enhancing efficiency, self-cleaning and self-cooling

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Abstract

This paper proposes a strategy to functionalize the cover glass of photovoltaic cells with a metasurface design. By synergistically modulating the optical field distribution and surface properties through micro-nano structures, the approach simultaneously enhances the photoelectric conversion efficiency, self-cleaning capability, and thermal management performance of photovoltaic cells. The proposed technique is independent of the photovoltaic cell type and improves power generation efficiency based on the chip perimeter. It achieves an 18.3% enhancement in the power conversion efficiency of commercial TOPCon photovoltaic cells, while also enabling passive radiative cooling (temperature reduction of 8°C) and hydrophobic self-cleaning performance (contact angle of 152.1°). This technique is lightweight and easily replicable, with the metasurface structure fabricated directly on existing photovoltaic module glass without altering the current manufacturing process, offering significant potential for industrial-scale adoption.

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