Holographic lenses (HLs) are part of holographic optical elements (HOE), and are being applied to concentrate solar energy on a focal point or focal line. In this way, the concentrated energy can be converted into electrical or thermal energy by means of a photovoltaic cell or a thermal absorber tube. HLs are able to passively track the apparent motion of the sun with a high acceptance angle, allowing tracking motors to be replaced, thus reducing the cost of support structures. This article focuses on a review of the materials used in the recording of a holographic lens (HL) or multiple HLs in photovoltaic and/or concentrating solar collectors. This review shows that the use of photopolymers for the recording of HLs enables high-performance efficiency in physical systems designed for energy transformation, and presents some important elements to be taken into account for future designs, especially those related to the characteristics of the HL recording materials. Finally, the article outlines future recommendations, emphasizing potential research opportunities and challenges for researchers entering the field of HL-based concentrating solar photovoltaic and/or concentrating solar thermal collectors.

The Fresnel transform (FrT) is commonly used to describe the free-space propagation of optical waves. In this work, we present new definitions for the convolution, correlation and generalized shift operations based on the FrT. The generalized shift operation is defined by using simultaneous space and phase shifts. The generalized shift operation is useful for centred optical systems in the Fresnel domain (FrD) when the data distributions at the input plane of the optical system are shifted. The new convolution and correlation operations defined in terms of the FrT, the wavelength and the propagation distance, can be considered as a generalization of the usual convolution and correlation operations. The sampling theorem for distributions, whose resulting FrT has finite support, is formulated by using the new convolution operation introduced in this work and a new definition of the Dirac comb function. These new definitions and results could be applied to describe, design and implement optical processing systems related to the FrT. Finally, we present a centred optical systems used in holography and optical security systems that can be described or modelled by the new definitions of the operations proposed in this paper.