Color Glass by Layered Nitride Films for Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) System

Akpeko Gasonoo,Jae-Hyun Lee,Seongmin Lim,Hyeon-Sik Ahn,Yoonseuk Choi

doi:10.3390/cryst11030281

Abstract

We investigated layered titanium nitride (TiN) and aluminum nitride (AlN) for color glasses in building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. AlN and TiN are among suitable and cost-effective optical materials to be used as thin multilayer films, owing to the significant difference in their refractive index. To fabricate the structure, we used radio frequency magnetron deposition method to achieve the target thickness uniformly. A simple, fast, and cheap fabrication method is achieved by depositing the multilayer films in a single sputtering chamber. It is demonstrated that a multilayer stack that allows light to be transmitted from a low refractive index layer to a high refractive index layer or vice-versa can effectively create various distinct color reflections for different film thicknesses and multilayer structures. It is investigated from simulation based on wave optics that TiN/AlN multilayer offers better color design freedom and a cheaper fabrication process as compared to AlN/TiN multilayer films. Blue, green, and yellow color glasses with optical transmittance of more than 80% was achieved by indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass/TiN/AlN multilayer films. This technology exhibits good potential in commercial BIPV system applications.

Highlights

The building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system provides a novel and an efficient technique for solar energy to be harvested from the envelope of buildings and to generate renewable energy mainly for the constructed environment [1,2]
We investigated color glass for a BIPV system using multilayer thin films composed of titanium nitride (TiN) and aluminum nitride (AlN) layers
We fabricated color glasses for BIPV systems using multilayer thin films composed of titanium nitride and aluminum nitride layers

Summary

Introduction

The building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system provides a novel and an efficient technique for solar energy to be harvested from the envelope of buildings and to generate renewable energy mainly for the constructed environment [1,2]. We reported color glasses for BIPV systems using multilayer thin films composed of metal oxide layers [14,15]. We verified through computer simulation based on wave optics that metal oxide thin layers with significant difference in their refractive index could be integrated to realize different colors with good transmittance. We investigated color glass for a BIPV system using multilayer thin films composed of titanium nitride (TiN) and aluminum nitride (AlN) layers. This material selection rule provides a multilayer that significantly changes the OPD of the reflected and transmitted spectra when the layer thickness is adjusted. To achieve high film growth rate, the TiN and AlN layers were deposited by radio frequency reactive sputtering at room temperature. The thickness of the.TRiNesaunldtsAanlNd fDilimscsuwsseiroendetermined from alpha step measurements

Simulation and Analysis

Samples Analysis

Findings

Conclusions