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Development of novel micro-scale photovoltaics is presented. A new micro-CPV approach is investigated which seamlessly integrates micro-scale multi-junction cells with a multifunctional silicon platform that provides optical micro-concentration, hybrid photovoltaic, and mechanical micro-assembly. The wafer-embedded micro-concentrating elements lead to dramatically reduced CPV module materials and fabrication costs, as well as an ultra-compact optical architecture with sufficient angular tolerance for low-cost tracking, making the micro-CPV module fully compatible with commercial flat panel infrastructures. The PV/CPV hybrid architecture further allows the collection of both direct and diffuse sunlight thus extending the cost-effective geographic and market domains for PV system deployment.

A 100X magnification, ±3° field of view micro-concentrating optical array has been developed with better than 90% transmission for a microsystems-enabled photovoltaic (MEPV) prototype module using 250 µm diameter multi-junction “stacked” PV cells.