Dye alignment in luminescent solar concentrators: II. Horizontal alignment for energy harvesting in linear polarizers

• Published in: Optics express Vol. 18 Suppl 1; no. S1; pp. A91 - A99
• Main Authors: Mulder, C L, Reusswig, P D, Beyler, A P, Kim, H, Rotschild, C, Baldo, M A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Optical Society of America (OSA) 26-04-2010
• Subjects: solar (photovoltaic), solid state lighting, photosynthesis (natural and artificial), charge transport, optics, synthesis (novel materials), synthesis (self-assembly), synthesis (scalable processing); SOLAR ENERGY
• ISSN: 1094-4087; 1094-4087
• DOI: 10.1364/oe.18.000a91

We describe Linearly Polarized Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LP-LSCs) to replace conventional, purely absorptive, linear polarizers in energy harvesting applications. As a proof of concept, we align 3-(2-Benzothiazolyl)-N,N-diethylumbelliferylamine (Coumarin 6) and 4-dicyanomethyl-6-dimethylaminostiryl-4H-pyran (DCM) dye molecules linearly in the plane of the substrate using a polymerizable liquid crystal host. We show that up to 38% of the photons polarized on the long axis of the dye molecules can be coupled to the edge of the device for an LP-LSC based on Coumarin 6 with an order parameter of 0.52.