Luminescent solar concentrator efficiency versus edge solar cell coverage

Abstract

This Letter introduces an analytical approach to estimate the waveguiding efficiency of large-area luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), where the edges are covered by a varied number of mirrors and solar cells. The model provides physically relevant description in the whole range of optical (absorption, scattering) and geometrical (size) parameters of rectangular LSCs. A 19 × 19 cm2 silicon quantum dot-based LSC has been fabricated to verify the theory. Within an experimental error, the predicted waveguiding efficiency matched well the measured one. A critical LSC size, beyond which a part of the device turns inactive, has been determined as N/α for N attached solar cells (one or two) and LSC material absorption coefficient α. This model provides a straightforward waveguiding analysis tool for large-area LSCs with different structural parameters relevant for both high concentration ratio and glazing applications.