Self-Cleaning Coatings for Space or Earth

The new transparent EDS technology is lighter, easier to manufacture, and operates at a lower voltage than current transparent EDS technologies. The coating combines an optimized electrode pattern with a vapor deposited protective coating of SiO2 on top of the electrodes, which replaces either polymer layers or manually adhered cover glass (see figure on the right). The new technology has been shown to achieve similar performances (i.e., over 90% dust clearing efficiency) to previous technologies while being operated at half the voltage. The key improvement of the new EDS coating comes from an innovative method to successfully deposit a protective layer of SiO2 that is much thinner than typical cover glass. Using vapor deposition enables the new EDS to scale more successfully than other technologies that may require more manual manufacturing methods. The EDS here has been proven to reduce dust buildup well under vacuum and may be adapted for terrestrial uses where cleaning is done manually. The coatings could provide a significant improvement for dust removal of solar cells in regions (e.g., deserts) where dust buildup is inevitable, but water access is limited. The EDS may also be applicable for any transparent surface that must remain transparent in a harsh or dirty environment. The related patent is now available to license. Please note that NASA does not manufacturer products itself for commercial sale.