Ultraviolet and Near-Infrared Dual-Band Selective-Harvesting Transparent Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Visibly transparent photovoltaic (TPV) technologies can be readily integrated onto mobile electronics, automobiles, buildings, and greenhouses to effectively convert these passive surfaces into power generating sources without compromising their aesthetics or functionality. Transparent luminescent solar concentrators (TLSC) have emerged as a promising transparent solar technology that features the highest visible transparency, structural simplicity, superior scalability, and affordability. In this work, we report TLSC systems incorporated with massive-downshifting phosphorescent nanoclusters and fluorescent organic molecules as ultraviolet (UV) and near-infrared (NIR) selective-harvesting luminophores. The photoluminescence of both UV and NIR luminophores is tuned into the NIR to minimize visual impact and maximize the overall aesthetic quality. We will describe the device design and optimization that results in dual-band TLSCs with a record power conversion efficiency over 3% with average visible transmittance exceeding 75%. This is the first work to demonstrate a wavelength-selective TPV device exceeding the non-wavelength-selective practical limit at high visible transparency.