Highly durable hydrophobic antireflection structures and method of manufacturing the same
US9400343B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jul 26, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/50
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Durable hydrophobic antireflection structures for optical elements, optical windows, and front sheets of encapsulated photovoltaic and photonic devices are disclosed which can minimize reflection losses over the entire accessible portion of the solar spectrum simultaneously provide self-cleaning and finger-print-free surface. Reduced reflectance and self-cleaning surfaces are resulted from coating the front sheet of encapsulated device with combination of nonporous and porous nanostructured materials such as silicon dioxide nanorods and PTFE. Step-graded antireflection structures can exhibit excellent omnidirectional performance, significantly outperforming conventional quarter wavelength and low-high-low refractive index coatings. Methods of constructing nanostructured durable optical coatings with hydrophobic surfaces are disclosed that can cover large-area ridged and flexible substrates.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.