SOLAR: Tandem Waveguide Solar Luminescent Concentrators

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TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Luminescent solar concentrators collect and concentrate sunlight for use in solar power generation. By replacing a large area of expensive photovoltaic cells with an inexpensive polymer concentrator, luminescent solar concentrators offer the potential for a major reduction in the cost of solar electricity. Compared to other concentrator technologies, such as mirror- and lens-based systems, luminescent solar concentrators have higher theoretical concentration factors, can collect both diffuse and specular sunlight without the need for solar tracking, and deliver bandgap-matched photons to the photovoltaic cells. The goal of this project is to study new concepts for high efficiency luminescent solar concentrators, deepening our understanding of fundamental optical processes in new classes of materials and devices. The project investigates a class of fluorescent materials based on photopolymerizable reactive mesogens incorporating orientationally ordered photoluminescent dyes and antenna waveguides for capturing sunlight; studies transport waveguide based on guided-wave plasmon-polariton modes; integrates these two waveguide structures into a tandem waveguide luminescent solar concentrator architecture; and develops mathematical models for investigating, understanding, and predicting the light trapping and transport properties of individual components and integrated tandem waveguide luminescent solar concentrators.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Research and development of highly concentrating, high efficiency luminescent solar concentrators could lead to advances in solar energy technology. West Washington University is a predominately undergraduate institution with a strong emphasis on research. Extensive participation of undergraduate researchers is an integral part of this project. The research will involve a total of 15-20 undergraduates over the project period, as well as 3-4 Masters-level graduate students, in a multidisciplinary environment.This project is co-funded by the Divisions of Materials Research, Chemistry, and Mathematical Sciences.