Abstract: A light splitting optical module that converts incident light into electrical energy, the module including a solid optical element comprising an input end for receiving light, a first side, and a second side spaced from the first side, a first solar cell adjacent to the first side of the solid optical element, and a second solar cell adjacent to the second side of the solid optical element. The first solar cell is positioned to absorb a first subset of incident light and reflect a first remainder of the incident light to the second solar cell through the solid optical element, wherein the first solar cell has a lower band gap than the second cell.

Abstract: A photovoltaic system that converts incident light into electrical energy that includes a light trapping optical module having a light randomizing dielectric slab with a first surface and a second surface, a first cell adjacent to the first surface of the slab that has a bandgap of lower energy than the energy of absorption onset of the dielectric slab, at least one filter element in optical contact with the second surface of the dielectric slab, and a sub-cell array with a plurality of photovoltaic sub-cells, wherein at least one of the sub-cells has a first surface that is in optical contact with the at least one filter element.

Abstract: A light splitting optical module that converts incident light into electrical energy, the module including a solid optical element comprising an input end for receiving light, a first side, and a second side spaced from the first side, a first solar cell adjacent to the first side of the solid optical element, and a second solar cell adjacent to the second side of the solid optical element. The first solar cell is positioned to absorb a first subset of incident light and reflect a first remainder of the incident light to the second solar cell through the solid optical element.

Abstract: The present invention provides photovoltaic devices that comprise multiple bandgap cell arrays in combination with spectrum splitting optics. The spectrum splitting optics include one or more optical spectrum splitting modules that include two or more optical splitting, diffractive elements that are optically in series to successively and diffractively split incident light into segments or slices that are independently directed onto different photovoltaic cell(s) of the array having appropriate bandgap characteristics.