I-V performance and stability study of dyes for luminescent plate concentrators

In this paper both the performance and stability of luminescent flat plate concentrator (LFPC) plates in combination with mc-Si photovoltaic cells are studied. It is shown that the electrical current of a silicon solar cell attached to the luminescent plate is improved by a factor 1.5 using a LFPC containing a single dye. It is also shown that most of the dyes are not stable in the polymer plates that are currently used. Screening of the stability of several other dyes indicates that the stability is strongly dependent on the type of dye and the polymer matrix, e.g., additives or the monomer residues.