SOLAR

Solar: a design tool for multilayer stacks

that convert sunlight to heat

The goal:

Absorb as much energy as possible from the solar radiation

but avoid re-emission of infrared radiation:

Properties of the layer stack:

• low reflectivity in the visible

• low emission, i.e. high reflectivity, in the IR

• cheap: deposition by sputtering

• thermally robust

Solar features:

• large number of models for optical constants

• interface to SCOUT dielectric function database

• various effective medium models for composite materials

• almost arbitrary layer structures

• gradients in depth of optical properties

• SCOUT_94 compatibility

Automated fit of layer thicknesses and optical constant parameters lead to

optimized absorber efficiency

Examples:

The examples are taken from

A.Nositschka

'Präparation und optische Charakterisierung von Dünnschichtsystemen für Solarabsorber'

Diploma thesis (in German), Aachen University of Technology (1998)

A four layer system (obtained by reactive dc magnetron sputtering):

A seven layer system (also obtained by reactive dc magnetron sputtering):

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