Photovoltaic (PV) modules are not only an opto-electrical system, but also opto-thermal one, where the optical, electrical, and thermodynamic domains are strongly coupled. The means to suppress both light and heat losses in PV modules remains undeveloped. Herein, a universal route to realize both radiative cooling and light management via the ultra-broadband versatile textures is proposed, originating from the interaction with the visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared electromagnetic waves (EMWs) via geometric, diffractive, and subwavelength optical effects. The sol–gel imprinted ultra-broadband textures exhibited a near-unity infrared emissivity over 0.96 at the atmospheric window between 8 to 13 μm for radiative cooling, and a solar transmittance and haze above 0.94 and 0.95 at the wavelengths from 350 to 750 nm, respectively, for light management. Applying the ultra-broadband textures imprinted glass to silicon PV modules as an encapsulant cover, the short-circuit current and conversion efficiency were increased by 5.12 and 3.13% in relative terms, respectively. The fabrication of such ultra-broadband versatile textures was photolithography-free, scalable, and PV industry compatible, which provided a cost-effective, long-term durable, and energy-efficient means to both light and thermal management through ultra-broadband matter-EMW interaction not only in PV modules, but also various opto-electro-thermal devices.
A few kinds of 2-diazo-1-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonates of poly(4-hydroxylstyrene) were prepared to form one-component i-line photoresists. In the laser interference lithography experiments of some of the photoresists, nanotunnels were observed to be aligned in the interior of the resist film. The shape and size of the nanotunnels remain virtually unchanged even under an increased exposure dose, indicating that the exposure energy is confined within the tunnel space. The formation of the nanotunnels results from the effect of standing waves and the permeation of developer from the surface deep into the resist films.
In this study, the feasibility of preparing copper foil by treating cuprous sulfide superionic conductor with electric field was investigated. The original cuprous sulfide powder was first loaded into the mold, then sandwiched between two electrodes, and then subjected to electropulsing treatment, in which process copper foil grown on the spacer at the cathode. Copper foil with smooth, complete and uniform thickness (the thinnest one is 18 μm) was successfully prepared. The addition of alloying elements in the original powder affected the copper precipitation. The basic factors determining the thickness, flatness and integrity of copper foil is the copper concentration caused by electric field at the cathode end of the copper sulfide block and the energy barrier of copper precipitation in cuprous sulfide matrix and interface. The processing conditions that will affect these fundamental factors will affect the characteristics of the formed Cu foil. Electropulsing processing of superionic conductor provides a new option for the preparation of high-quality Cu foil, which is expected to be used in lithium batteries and printed circuit boards . This method is also applicable to the preparation of other kinds of metal foils.