Light diffraction by concentrator Fresnel lenses.

Abstract

Fresnel lenses are widely used in concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems as primary optical elements focusing sunlight onto small solar cells or onto entrance apertures of secondary optical elements attached to the solar cells. Calculations using the Young-Maggi-Rubinowicz theory of diffraction yield analytical expressions for the amount of light spilling outside these target areas due to diffraction at the edges of the concentrator Fresnel lenses. Explicit equations are given for the diffraction loss due to planar Fresnel lenses with small prisms and due to arbitrarily shaped Fresnel lenses. Furthermore, the cases of illumination by monochromatic, polychromatic, totally spatially coherent and partially spatially coherent light (e.g. from the solar disc) are treated, resulting in analytical formulae. Examples using realistic values show losses due to diffraction of up to several percent.