Photovoltaic devices comprising an anti-reflective layer containing dispersed objects having areas with different refractive indices

A method for forming a single-layer deposit anti-reflective layer on a semiconducting material of a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

• depositing a single layer of material transparent towards electromagnetic radiation on the semiconducting material of the photovoltaic device, wherein said material contains a sol/gel and dispersed objects with dimensions of less than 400 nm in the sol/gel, wherein the sol/gel comprises silane, and wherein each of the dispersed objects:
• is transparent towards said electromagnetic radiation;
• comprises:
• an inorganic core substrate having dimensions and a refractive index, nC;
• and
• a crust surrounding the inorganic core substrate, wherein the crust has a refractive index, nE, distinct from nC, and wherein the difference between nC and nE is an absolute value of at least 0.1;
• and
• has a core dimensions to dispersed object dimensions ratio that is between 1:1.8 and 1:4;
• thereby forming the single-layer deposit anti-reflective layer on the semiconductor material of the photovoltaic device, wherein the single-layer deposit anti-reflective layer is transparent towards the electromagnetic radiation and comprises the dispersed objects in a sol/gel coating that comprises silica, wherein the sol/gel coating results from the sol/gel.