IMPROVED SOLAR CELL COVER-GLASSES COATED BY LOW PRESSURE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

IMPROVED OPTICAL COATINGS FOR SOLAR CELL COVERS THAT REJECT BOTH INFRARED AND ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION WILL BE DEVELOPED BY USING ADVANCED DESIGN CONCEPTS AND LOW-PRESSURE, CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (LPCVD) TECHNOLOGY. ADVANCED THIN-FILM DESIGN SOFTWARE WILL BE USED TO SIMULATE THREE MATERIAL DESIGNS USING THIN LAYERS OF TWO MATERIALS. THESE DESIGNS WILL PROVIDE REJECTION IN THE ULTRAVIOLET AND INFRARED, AS WELL AS IMPROVED TRANSMISSION IN THE RESPONSE BAND. A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED, AUTOMATED, LPCVD SYSTEM THAT IS CAPABLE OF RELIABLY COATING SUCH THIN-LAYER OPTICAL DESIGNS WILL BE USED FOR DEPOSITION. THE LPCVD SYSTEM HAS THE ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGE OF ALLOWING STRESS BALANCING FOR THIN SUBSTRATES BY COATING BOTH SIDES SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW-COST MANUFACTURE. IMPROVED OPTICAL COATINGS FOR SOLAR CELL COVERS THAT REJECT BOTH INFRARED AND ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION WILL BE DEVELOPED BY USING ADVANCED DESIGN CONCEPTS AND LOW-PRESSURE, CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (LPCVD) TECHNOLOGY. ADVANCED THIN-FILM DESIGN SOFTWARE WILL BE USED TO SIMULATE THREE MATERIAL DESIGNS USING THIN LAYERS OF TWO MATERIALS. THESE DESIGNS WILL PROVIDE REJECTION IN THE ULTRAVIOLET AND INFRARED, AS WELL AS IMPROVED TRANSMISSION IN THE RESPONSE BAND. A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED, AUTOMATED, LPCVD SYSTEM THAT IS CAPABLE OF RELIABLY COATING SUCH THIN-LAYER OPTICAL DESIGNS WILL BE USED FOR DEPOSITION. THE LPCVD SYSTEM HAS THE ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGE OF ALLOWING STRESS BALANCING FOR THIN SUBSTRATES BY COATING BOTH SIDES SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW-COST MANUFACTURE.