Abstract: A photonic bandgap structure having multiple stacked layers has a thickness from the top of its top layer to the bottom of its bottom layer of less than one micron. Metal conducting layers having negative real dielectric constants are positioned between semiconductor layers having positive dielectric constants. The layers are arranged and stacked, and the thicknesses and materials for the semiconductor layers and conductive layers are selected to realize desired absorption, transmission, and reflection characteristics.

Abstract: A photonic bandgap structure having multiple stacked layers has a thickness from the top of its top layer to the bottom of its bottom layer of less than one micron. Metal conducting layers having negative real dielectric constants are positioned between semiconductor layers having positive dielectric constants. The layers are arranged and stacked, and the thicknesses and materials for the semiconductor layers and conductive layers are selected to realize desired absorption, transmission, and reflection characteristics.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell having multiple stacked layers has a thickness from the top of its top layer to the bottom of its bottom layer of less than one micron. Metal conducting layers are positioned between semiconductor layers with semiconductor layers having higher bandgaps being located above semiconductor layers having lower band gaps. The layers of the photovoltaic cell are arranged and stacked, and the thicknesses and materials for the semiconductor layers and conductive layers are selected to realize desired absorption, transmission, and reflection characteristics. The geometry and thicknesses of the respective layers of the cell allows incident light of various angles to be absorbed by all of the semiconductor layers of the cell.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell for use in a solar cell panel and a method of forming a photovoltaic cell for use in a solar cell panel are disclosed. The photovoltaic cell includes a plurality of first layers of a first material having a first thickness and a first optical characteristic; a plurality of second layers of a second material having a second thickness and a second optical characteristic, each of the plurality of layers of the first material adjacent to two of the plurality of layers of the second material; wherein the second material includes a metal. In one aspect, the first material includes a semiconductor. In a further aspect, the plurality of first layers includes layers formed from two different semiconductor materials.