  In this letter we report the preliminary validation of a low-cost paradigm
for photovoltaic power generation that utilizes a prismatic Fresnel-like lens
to simultaneously concentrate and separate sunlight into continuous laterally
spaced spectral bands, which are then fed into spectrally matched
single-junction photovoltaic cells. A prismatic lens was designed using
geometric optics and the dispersive properties of the employed material, and
its performance was simulated with a ray- tracing software. After device
optimization, it was fabricated by injection molding, suitable for large-scale
mass production. We report an average optical transmittance of ~ 90% over the
VNIR range with spectral separation in excellent agreement with our
simulations. Finally, two prototype systems were tested: one with GaAsP and
c-Si photovoltaic devices and one with a pair of copper indium gallium selenide
based solar cells. The systems demonstrated an increase in peak electrical
power output of 51% and 64% respectively under white light illumination. Given
the ease of manufacturability of the proposed device, the reported spectral
splitting approach provides a cost- effective alternative to multi-junction
solar cells for efficient light-to-electricity conversion ready for mass
production.
