Patent ID: 7745721

Claim:
A solar cell comprising an optical element having both transparent areas and substantially non-transparent areas disposed along a surface of the optical element, wherein the transparent areas are arranged such that individual, intermediate, substantially non-transparent areas have an extent that is less than 1 mm in at least one direction in the plane of said surface; the substantially non-transparent areas are arranged close to each other and extend at right angles to said surface such that the transparent areas have a depth/width ratio that causes the optical element to allow, at a given point on said surface, passage of light with given angles of incidence, while light having other angles of incidence is unable to pass through the optical element at the given point; the substantially non-transparent areas have openings filled by the transparent areas; the transparent areas and the substantially non-transparent areas are located in the same plane; and at least a part of the substantially non-transparent areas is configured for functioning as an electrode in the solar cell.