Abstract

To harness the full spectrum of solar energy, Fresnel reflection at the surface of a solar cell must be eliminated over the entire solar spectrum and at all angles. Here, we show that a multilayer nanostructure having a graded-index profile, as predicted by theory [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 66, 515 (1976) ; Appl. Opt. 46, 6533 (2007) ], can accomplish a near-perfect transmission of all-color of sunlight. An ultralow total reflectance of 1%–6% has been achieved over a broad spectrum, $\lambda =400\text{to}1600\mathrm{nm}$, and a wide range of angles of incidence, $\theta =0°–60°$. The measured angle- and wavelength-averaged total reflectance of 3.79% is the smallest ever reported in the literature, to our knowledge.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

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