Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) use fluorescent dyes imbedded in a transparent waveguide to absorb sunlight and concentrate it at the edges of the collector for conversion into electricity by photovoltaics.  Compared to mirror- and lens-based systems, LSCs have higher theoretical concentration factors, can collect both diffuse and specular sunlight without the need for solar tracking, and deliver wavelength-to-bandgap matched photons to the photovoltaic (PV) cells.  However despite their potential, thus far LSCs have had little practical impact, mainly because the optical efficiency decreases rapidly with concentrator size.  We report the development of LSCs based on orientationally ordered luminophores, which improves performance by reducing waveguide escape cone losses.  Results of measurements performed on devices prepared from a new family of perylene fluorophores ordered using either polymerizable liquid crystals or AC electric fields will be presented.  The effect of orientation on light trapping and overall device efficiency will be discussed.

Luminescent solar concentrators based on orientationally ordered luminophores

245th National Meeting (2013)

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