An Omnidirectional Photovoltaic Power Converter for Optical Power Beaming Applications

An efficient photovoltaic power converter is a critical component of laser power beaming systems. We design a photovoltaic cell that can efficiently trap monochromatic light incident from broad incident angles. The proposed design is built on the concept of a one-way coherent absorber with aperiodic multilayer front- and back-reflectors that enable maximal optical absorption in a thin-film absorbing layer. The front- and back-reflector mirrors are inverse-designed to warrant efficient light trapping for omnidirectional incidence. A realistic design is provided based on GaAs absorbing layer and with index-matched III-V materials for the back-reflector with group IV materials as front-reflector. The proposed device can pave the way for efficient optical power beaming systems.