Transparent luminescent solar concentrators for large-area solar windows enabled by massive stokes-shift nanocluster phosphors

Abstract

Integrating solar-harvesting systems into the building envelope is a transformative route to improving building effi ciency, capturing large areas of solar energy, and lowering effective solar cell installation costs by piggybacking on the installation, framing, and maintenance of the existing building envelope. However, the widespread adoption of such a pathway is typically hampered by diffi culties associated with mounting traditional photovoltaic (PV) modules in non-standard confi gurations on and around buildings due to added structural cost, architectural impedance, and most importantly, aesthetics. To overcome these hurdles we have developed a luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) employing novel nanocrystal-polymer blends that allow for selective ultraviolet light harvesting that results in a high degree of visible light transmittance. These transparent LSCs offer a different route to large area scaling with high defect tolerances compared to other transparent photovoltaic devices. These systems have signifi cant potential in 1) energy scavenging electronics displays, 2) autonomous electrochromicwindows, 3) visible-blind detectors, and 4) coatings for improved UV response and protection of traditional solar installations.© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim.