Fluorescent concentrators for photovoltaic applications

This chapter gives an overview of the concept of fluorescent concentrators, including the theory, materials for the realization of fluorescent collectors, and the characterization of fluorescent concentrator systems with attached solar cells. It shows that fundamental aspects, such as efficiency limits, can be investigated using an elegant and detailed balance approach. One major finding, both from theory and experimental results, is that spectrally selectively reflecting structures can increase the efficiency of fluorescent concentrators systems significantly. Fluorescent concentrator systems with III-V solar cells mounted on the edge of fluorescent collectors have shown the highest efficiencies. The chapter also demonstrates that the power output of a GaInP can be increased by a factor of 3.7 if it is attached to a fluorescent collector. Nevertheless, also for other types of solar cells out of amorphous or c-Si, fluorescent collectors can increase the power output by harvesting light from a larger area.