Solar Energy Converter and Related Methods

Abstract

A solar thermal energy device is provided. Also provided is a method of making a solar thermal energy device.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A solar device, comprising, a metallic substrate comprising a plurality of protuberances each having a base having an edge or a diameter, and an apex, and tapering from the base to the apex, wherein the distance between the base of adjacent protuberances is less than 200 nm, and the diameter and/or length of a side of the base ranges from 100 nm to 1000 nm. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an antireflective coating having a refractive index greater than one and less than the maximum refractive index of the metallic substrate at the base of the protuberances. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the antireflective coating comprises an oxide of aluminum, hafnium, titanium, and/or zirconium. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the antireflective coating comprises a metal oxide or a silicon nitride. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the antireflective coating has a thickness of from 50 nm to 1 μm in thickness. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the antireflective coating comprises an aluminum oxide. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the base of the protuberance is a square or rectangle. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic substrate comprises nickel, copper, gold, silver or an alloy thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the protuberances are pyramidal, conical, frusto-pyramidal, or frusto-conical. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the protuberances are pyramidal, having a square or rectangular base wherein a plane containing a side of the protuberance is at an angle of 54.7 degrees from the plane of the major surface of the contiguous portion of the metallic substrate from which the protuberance extends. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the base of adjacent protuberances is less than 50 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the protuberances are uniformly-spaced on the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . A template for producing a solar device, comprising a substrate having a major surface comprising a plurality of indentations, each of the plurality of indentations having an opening at the major surface, wherein the openings are spaced less than 200 nm apart, and the opening of each of the plurality of indentations having a side length or a diameter ranging from 100 nm to 1000 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The template of  claim 13 , wherein the template is a silicon substrate having a major surface comprising a silica coating, and the indentations are pyramidal indentations with a square or rectangular opening at the major surface. 
     
     
         15 . The template of  claim 13 , wherein the openings are regularly-spaced. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making a solar thermal absorbing device, comprising,
 a. depositing a metal layer onto a template, comprising a substrate having a major surface comprising a plurality of indentations, each of the plurality of indentations having an opening at the major surface (that is, coplanar with the major surface), wherein the openings are spaced less than 200 nm apart, and the opening of each of the plurality of indentations having a side length or a diameter ranging from 100 nm to 1000 nm, wherein the metal is deposited in an amount to fill in the indentations of the template and to produce a contiguous metal layer, optionally having a thickness of from 1 μM to 100 μM over at least a portion of the major surface of the template comprising the indentations; and   b. releasing (e.g., peeling or delaminating) the deposited metal layer from the template to produce a metallic substrate having a major surface, comprising a plurality of protuberances on the major surface, each of the plurality of protuberance having a base having an edge or a diameter, and an apex, and tapering from the base to the apex, wherein the distance between the base of adjacent protuberances is less than 200 nm, and the diameter or an edge of the base ranges from 100 nm to 1000 nm.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the template is a silicon substrate having a major surface comprising a silica coating, and the indentations are pyramidal indentations with a square or rectangular opening at the major surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising depositing an antireflective coating over at least a portion of the metallic substrate including the plurality of protuberances. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the antireflective coating comprises a metal oxide or a silicon nitride. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the antireflective coating has a thickness of from 50 nm to 1 μm. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the antireflective coating comprises an oxide of aluminum, hafnium, titanium, and/or zirconium. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the antireflective coating comprises an aluminum oxide. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the metallic substrate is nickel, copper, silver, gold, or an alloy thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the protuberances are pyramidal, conical, frusto-pyramidal, or frusto-conical. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the protuberances are pyramidal, having a square or rectangular base and wherein a plane containing a side of the protuberance is at an angle of 54.7 degrees from the plane of the major surface of the contiguous portion of the metallic substrate from which the protuberance extends. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the protuberances are frusto-conical or frusto-pyramidal. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the distance between the base of adjacent protuberances is less than 50 nm. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the protuberances are uniformly-spaced on the substrate.