Review of the fundamental principles and performances on lminescent solar concentrators

Abstract

First proposed by Willes H. Weber in 1976, the basic concept of a luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) is to collect emitted light via total internal reflection using a light-emitting material that also absorbs light. Therefore, LSCs do not require the assistance of expensive devices such as sun-tracking systems or heat sinks to concentrate solar light. Since its inception, the LSC has attracted attention from researchers in photovoltaic technology. Most research on LSCs can be classified into three categories: luminescent materials, the waveguide matrix, and applications of LSCs. In this review, we review briefly fundamental principles and performance developments involving LSCs.