Visibly transparent, luminescent solar concentrator
First Claim
1. A visibly transparent luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) having an average visible band absorption of up to 20%, the LSC comprising:
- a visibly transparent substrate having at least one edge surface, wherein the visibly transparent substrate has an average visible band transmission of 45% or more;
visibly transparent photoluminescent organic dye molecules, corresponding to luminophore components, coupled to the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the visibly transparent photoluminescent organic dye molecules;
exhibit a peak absorption wavelength outside a visible band,exhibit a maximum visible band absorption of up to 20%, andabsorb light at wavelengths outside the visible band and generate photoluminescent light at a peak emission wavelength outside the visible band,wherein the visibly transparent substrate is configured to waveguide at least a portion of the photoluminescent light to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate; and
a photovoltaic device coupled to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the photovoltaic device is configured to absorb light at the peak emission wavelength outside the visible band and generate electrical energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A visibly transparent luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) is disclosed. The LSC includes a transparent substrate having at least one edge surface. A dye layer is coupled to the substrate, the dye layer having a peak absorption wavelength outside the visible band, the dye layer being configured to re-emit light at a peak emission wavelength outside the visible band, at least a portion of the re-emitted light being waveguided to the edge surface of the substrate. A photovoltaic device is coupled to the edge surface of the transparent substrate, the photovoltaic device being configured to absorb light at the peak emission wavelength and generate electrical energy.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A visibly transparent luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) having an average visible band absorption of up to 20%, the LSC comprising:
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a visibly transparent substrate having at least one edge surface, wherein the visibly transparent substrate has an average visible band transmission of 45% or more; visibly transparent photoluminescent organic dye molecules, corresponding to luminophore components, coupled to the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the visibly transparent photoluminescent organic dye molecules; exhibit a peak absorption wavelength outside a visible band, exhibit a maximum visible band absorption of up to 20%, and absorb light at wavelengths outside the visible band and generate photoluminescent light at a peak emission wavelength outside the visible band, wherein the visibly transparent substrate is configured to waveguide at least a portion of the photoluminescent light to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate; and a photovoltaic device coupled to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the photovoltaic device is configured to absorb light at the peak emission wavelength outside the visible band and generate electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 33, 34)
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16. A method of forming a visibly transparent luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) having an average visible band absorption of up to 20%, the method comprising:
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providing a visibly transparent substrate having at least one edge surface, wherein the visibly transparent substrate has an average visible band transmission of 45% or more; coupling visibly transparent photoluminescent organic molecules, corresponding to luminophore components, to the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the visibly transparent photoluminescent organic molecules; exhibit a peak absorption wavelength outside a visible band, exhibit a maximum visible band absorption of up to 20%, and absorb light at wavelengths outside the visible band and generate photoluminescent light at a peak emission wavelength outside the visible band, and wherein the visibly transparent substrate is configured to waveguide at least a portion of the photoluminescent light to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate, the visibly transparent LSC having up to 20% light absorption across the visible band; and coupling a photovoltaic device to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the photovoltaic device is configured to absorb light at the peak emission wavelength outside the visible band and generate electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of generating electricity, the method comprising:
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providing a visibly transparent luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) having an average visible band absorption of up to 20%, wherein the LSC includes; a visibly transparent substrate having at least one edge surface, wherein the visibly transparent substrate has an average visible band transmission of 45% or more; visibly transparent photoluminescent organic molecules, corresponding to luminophore components, coupled to the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the visibly transparent photoluminescent organic molecules; exhibit a peak absorption wavelength outside a visible band, exhibit a maximum visible band absorption of up to 20%, and absorb light at wavelengths outside the visible band and generate photoluminescent light at a peak emission wavelength outside the visible band, wherein the visibly transparent substrate is configured to waveguide at least a portion of the photoluminescent light to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate; and a photovoltaic device coupled to the at least one edge surface of the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the photovoltaic device is configured to absorb light at the peak emission wavelength outside the visible band and generate electrical energy; and exposing the LSC to incident light having wavelengths outside the visible band, wherein at least a portion of the incident light is absorbed by the visibly transparent photoluminescent organic molecules, wherein the visibly transparent photoluminescent organic molecules generate photoluminescent light having wavelengths outside the visible band, wherein at least a portion of the photoluminescent light having wavelengths outside the visible band is waveguided within the visibly transparent substrate to the photovoltaic device, and wherein the photovoltaic device absorbs at least a portion of the waveguided photoluminescent light having wavelengths outside the visible band to generate electricity.
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Specification