The distance temperature map as method to analyze optical properties of Fresnel lenses and their interaction with multi-junction solar cells

The optical efficiency of Fresnel lens based solar concentrators varies with the temperature of the Fresnel lens. The dependency of any quantity of interest (e.g. optical efficiency) on Fresnel lens temperature can be visualized by 2d color plots that simultaneously show it as a function of the distance between solar cell and Fresnel lens and as a function of Fresnel lens temperature. This visualization, which is called DTmap, strongly facilitates the analysis of the thermal behavior of a Fresnel lens and the optimization of module height. Based on DTmaps we reveal and discuss serveral details of the thermal behavior of silicone on glass (SOG) Fresnel lenses. In addition, the DTmap is shown for the efficiency of a system consisting of a Fresnel lens and a lattice matched three-junction and a four-junction solar cell. The results demonstrate that the interaction of the concentrator optics and the solar cell is not trivial and may also be studied using DTmaps.