Most virtual reality (VR) headsets nowadays use conventional, rotationally symmetric optics to create a wide field of view
(FOV > 90°) virtual scene enabling the required “immersion” or “presence” feeling. These optics require a long total track
length (TTL, distance between the actual panel displaying the contents and user’s pupil) to work well, and headsets become
very bulky. The so-called CLOVER is an optic, compatible with VR and video-see-through mixed reality (MR) able to
work around the TTL problem by using a freeform multi-channel, light folding approach. In its simplest version, it can
reduce the TTL down to a half, compared to conventional solutions, for the same FOV and angular resolution. Along with
a review of the original 4-channel CLOVER, this work shows recent results of upscale versions of the optic that utilize
myopia and color correction, pupil tracking and staggered surfaces to, respectively, avoid the need of prescription lenses,
improve the image quality for all colors, rise the resolution (by a 20%) and reduce the size (20% TTL reduction) of the
precursor.
Reducing the size of Virtual Reality head-mounted displays is of main interest to improve the comfort of users, which is a particularly complex design problem due to the very large field of view needed to feel the immersion. Such reduction can be achieve via folded polarization “pancake” optics, but at the expense of a very low transmission efficiency and poor contrast. High compactness without those drawbacks can be achieved by multichannel optics, whose design for high performance is carried out at LIMBAK intensively introducing freeform optical surfaces, adding variable magnification to maximize the VR display resolution where it is to be normally gazed, and applying two-dimensional distortion software corrections to each channel. This presentation will cover the recent advances in these systems, the growing variety of geometries, the benefits obtained when including gaze-tracking and the resolution boosts obtained by the application of pixel interlacing strategies.
KEYWORDS: Solar concentrators, Solar cells, Photovoltaics, Prototyping, Fresnel lenses, Homogenization, Solar energy, Optics manufacturing, Temperature metrology, Concentrated solar cells
The outdoor measurements of a single-cell concentrator PV module reaching a regressed 35.6% efficiency and a maximum peak efficiency of 36.0% (both corrected @Tcell=25ºC) are presented. This is the result of the joint effort by LPI and Solar Junction to demonstrate the potential of combining their respective state-of-the-art concentrator optics and solar cells. The LPI concentrator used is an FK, which is an advanced nonimaging concentrator using 4-channel Köhler homogenization, with a primary Fresnel lens and a refractive secondary made of glass. Solar Junction’s cell is a triplejunction solar cell with the A-SLAMTM architecture using dilute-nitrides.
High flux and high CRI may be achieved by combining different chips and/or phosphors. This, however, results in
inhomogeneous sources that, when combined with collimating optics, typically produce patterns with undesired artifacts.
These may be a combination of spatial, angular or color non-uniformities. In order to avoid these effects, there is a need
to mix the light source, both spatially and angularly. Diffusers can achieve this effect, but they also increase the etendue
(and reduce the brightness) of the resulting source, leading to optical systems of increased size and wider emission
angles.
The shell mixer is an optic comprised of many lenses on a shell covering the source. These lenses perform Kohler
integration to mix the emitted light, both spatially and angularly. Placing it on top of a multi-chip Lambertian light
source, the result is a highly homogeneous virtual source (i.e, spatially and angularly mixed), also Lambertian, which is
located in the same position with essentially the same size (so the average brightness is not increased). This virtual light
source can then be collimated using another optic, resulting in a homogeneous pattern without color separation.
Experimental measurements have shown optical efficiency of the shell of 94%, and highly homogeneous angular
intensity distribution of collimated beams, in good agreement with the ray-tracing simulations.
KEYWORDS: Solar concentrators, Prototyping, Electrical efficiency, Solar cells, Solar energy, Dispersion, Fresnel lenses, Temperature metrology, Sun, Optics manufacturing
Most cost-effective concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) systems are based on an optical train comprising two stages, the first being a Fresnel lens. Among them, the Fresnel-Köhler (FK) concentrator stands out owing to both performance and practical reasons. We describe the experimental measurements procedure for FK concentrator modules. This procedure includes three main types of measurements: electrical efficiency, acceptance angle, and irradiance uniformity at the solar cell plane. We have collected here the performance features of two different FK prototypes (ranging different f -numbers, concentration ratios, and cell sizes). The electrical efficiencies measured in both prototypes are high and fit well with the models, achieving values up to 32.7% (temperature corrected, and with no antireflective coating on SOE or POE surfaces) in the best case. The measured angular transmission curves show large acceptance angles, again perfectly matching the expected values [measured concentration acceptance product (CAP) values over 0.56]. The irradiance pattern on the cell (obtained with a digital camera) shows an almost perfectly uniform distribution, as predicted by raytrace simulations. All these excellent on-sun results confirm the FK concentrator as a potentially cost-effective solution for the CPV market.
In SSL general illumination, there is a clear trend to high flux packages with higher efficiency and higher CRI addressed with the use of multiple color chips and phosphors. However, such light sources require the optics provide color mixing, both in the near-field and far-field. This design problem is specially challenging for collimated luminaries, in which diffusers (which dramatically reduce the brightness) cannot be applied without enlarging the exit aperture too much. In this work we present first injection molded prototypes of a novel primary shell-shaped optics that have microlenses on both sides to provide Köhler integration. This shell is design so when it is placed on top of an inhomogeneous multichip Lambertian LED, creates a highly homogeneous virtual source (i.e, spatially and angularly mixed), also Lambertian, which is located in the same position with only small increment of the size (about 10-20%, so the average brightness is similar to the brightness of the source). This shell-mixer device is very versatile and permits now to use a lens or a reflector secondary optics to collimate the light as desired, without color separation effects. Experimental measurements have shown optical efficiency of the shell of 95%, and highly homogeneous angular intensity distribution of collimated beams, in good agreement with the ray-tracing simulations.
Development of a novel HCPV nonimaging concentrator with high concentration (>500x) and built-in spectrum splitting
concept is presented. It uses the combination of a commercial concentration GaInP/GaInAs/Ge 3J cell and a
concentration Back-Point-Contact (BPC) silicon cell for efficient spectral utilization, and external confinement
techniques for recovering the 3J cell's reflection. The primary optical element (POE) is a flat Fresnel lens and the
secondary optical element (SOE) is a free-form RXI-type concentrator with a band-pass filter embedded in it - Both the
POE and SOE performing Köhler integration to produce light homogenization on the receiver. The band-pass filter
transmits the IR photons in the 900-1200 nm band to the silicon cell. A design target of an "equivalent" cell efficiency
~46% is predicted using commercial 39% 3J and 26% Si cells. A projected CPV module efficiency of greater than 38%
is achievable at a concentration level larger than 500X with a wide acceptance angle of ±1°. A first proof-of concept
receiver prototype has been manufactured using a simpler optical architecture (with a lower concentration, ~100x and
lower simulated added efficiency), and experimental measurements have shown up to 39.8% 4J receiver efficiency using
a 3J cell with a peak efficiency of 36.9%.
Here we present a novel optical design of the high concentration photovoltaics (HPCV) nonimaging concentrator
(>500x) with built-in spectrum splitting concept. The primary optical element (POE) is a flat Fresnel lens and the
secondary optical element (SOE) is a free-form RXI-type concentrator with a band-pass filter embedded in it, both POE
and SOE performing Köhler integration to produce light homogenization on the target. It uses the combination of a
commercial concentration GaInP/GaInAs/Ge 3J cell and a concentration Back-Point-Contact (BPC) silicon cell for
efficient spectral utilization, and external confinement techniques for recovering the 3J cell's reflection. Design targets
equivalent cell efficiency ~46% using commercial 39% 3J and 26% Si cells, and CPV module efficiency greater than
38%, achieved at a concentration level larger than 500X and wide acceptance angle (±1°). A first proof-of concept
receiver prototype has been manufactured using a simpler optical architecture (with a lower concentration, ~100x and
lower simulated added efficiency), and experimental measurements have shown up to 39.8% 4J receiver efficiency using
a 3J with peak efficiency of 36.9%.
Manufacturing technologies as injection molding or embossing specify their production limits for minimum radii of the
vertices or draft angle for demolding, for instance. In some demanding nonimaging applications, these restrictions may
limit the system optical efficiency or affect the generation of undesired artifacts on the illumination pattern. A novel
manufacturing concept is presented here, in which the optical surfaces are not obtained from the usual revolution
symmetry with respect to a central axis (z axis), but they are calculated as free-form surfaces describing a spiral
trajectory around z axis. The main advantage of this new concept lies in the manufacturing process: a molded piece can
be easily separated from its mold just by applying a combination of rotational movement around axis z and linear
movement along axis z, even for negative draft angles. Some of these spiral symmetry examples will be shown here, as
well as their simulated results.
Manufacturing technologies as injection molding or embossing specify their production limits for minimum radii of the
vertices or draft angle for demolding, for instance. In some demanding nonimaging applications, these restrictions may
limit the system optical efficiency or affect the generation of undesired artifacts on the illumination pattern. A novel
manufacturing concept is presented here, in which the optical surfaces are not obtained from the usual revolution
symmetry with respect to a central axis (z axis), but they are calculated as free-form surfaces describing a spiral
trajectory around z axis. The main advantage of this new concept lies in the manufacturing process: a molded piece can
be easily separated from its mold just by applying a combination of rotational movement around axis z and linear movement along axis z, even for negative draft angles. Some of these spiral symmetry examples will be shown here, as well as their simulated results.
A metal-less RXI collimator has been designed using the Simultaneous multiple surface method (SMS). The collimator
is completely made of plastic (PMMA) and does not include any mirrored surface, unlike to the convectional RXI
collimators, whose back surface is metalized to provide a specular reflection. The back surface of the V-groove RXI is
designed as a grooved surface providing two TIR reflections for all rays impinging on it. The main advantage of the
presented design is lower manufacturing cost since there is no need for the expensive process of metalization. Also,
unlike to the conventional RXI collimators this design performs good colour mixing. The experimental measurements of
the first prototype are presented.
Manufacturing technologies as injection molding or embossing specify their production limits for minimum radii of the
vertices or draft angle for demolding, for instance. These restrictions may limit the system optical efficiency or affect the
generation of undesired artifacts on the illumination pattern when dealing with optical design. A novel manufacturing
concept is presented here, in which the optical surfaces are not obtained from the usual revolution symmetry with respect
to a central axis (z axis), but they are calculated as free-form surfaces describing a spiral trajectory around z axis. The
main advantage of this new concept lies in the manufacturing process: a molded piece can be easily separated from its
mold just by applying a combination of rotational movement around axis z and linear movement along axis z, even for
negative draft angles. The general designing procedure will be described in detail.
Using the Simultaneous Multiple Surface method in 2D (SMS2D), we present a
fast catadioptric objective with a wide field of view (125°×96°designed for a microbolometer
detector with 640×480 pixels and 25 microns pixel pitch.
Using the Simultaneous Multiple Surface method in 2D (SMS2D), we present a fast catadioptric objective with a wide
field of view (125°×96°) designed for a microbolometer detector with 640×480 pixels and 25 microns pixel pitch
Keywords: Infrared lens design, thermal imaging, Schwarzschild configuration, SMS2D, wide field of view, driving
cameras, panoramic systems
At module level (one single solar cell), the Fresnel-Köhler (FK) concentrator comprises a perfect irradiance uniformity
along with quite high concentration-acceptance angle product. At the same time, it maintains the efficiency/simplicity of
other Fresnel-based concentrators. In this work we will show the FK concentrator has loose manufacturing tolerances as
well. All these facts, along with the pill-box shape of its transmission curve, permit an enhanced performance of this
device, compared to its competitors, at array level, because the system is more insensitive to manufacturing errors, and
current mismatch is less likely to occur. Or the same performance can be achieved at a lower cost, exhausting the
tolerance budget by using inexpensive fabrication techniques. Depending on the concentrator, the actual power delivered
by an array might drop significantly with respect to the sum of the power delivered by single modules. Under certain
circumstances, the FK can reach a 1-10% electrical efficiency increase with regards to other concentrators sharing the
same technology.
Using the Simultaneous Multiple Surface method in 2D (SMS2D), we present a fast catadioptric objective with a wide
field of view (125°×96°) designed for a microbolometer detector with 640×480 pixels and 25 microns pixel pitch.
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