Solar light trapping Source: Saint Gobain 1. Thin film solar panels For the substrate of a thin film panel often standard glass is used, simply because it's cheap. The superstrate cover glass has higher requirements. The cover glass needs to offer low reflection, high transmissivity, and high strength. 2. Crystalline silicon.
[pdf] The short answer is, yes, you can use a magnifying glass on a solar panel to increase its efficiency. However, like most things in life, the devil is in the details. The key is to use it correctly.
[pdf] 
