US 12,477,888 B2
Supplementing the power generation of transparent solar energy harvesting devices comprising luminophores
Nicholas C. Davy, Philadelphia, PA (US); Jason U. Wallace, Rochester, NY (US); and Douglas H. Axtell, Rochester, NY (US)
Assigned to Andluca Technologies Inc., Rochester, NY (US)
Filed by Andluca Technologies Inc., Princeton, NJ (US)
Filed on Mar. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/123,779.
Prior Publication US 2024/0324257 A1, Sep. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. H10K 30/87 (2023.01); H10K 39/10 (2023.01); H10K 71/50 (2023.01); H10K 85/10 (2023.01); H10K 85/60 (2023.01)
CPC H10K 30/87 (2023.02) [H10K 39/10 (2023.02); H10K 71/50 (2023.02); H10K 85/141 (2023.02); H10K 85/6574 (2023.02)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A visibly transparent luminescent solar concentrator (LSC), comprising:
a visibly transparent waveguide;
at least one solar photovoltaic cell; and
at least one luminophore material embedded in or on the visibly transparent waveguide, the at least one luminophore material configured to absorb light in an ultraviolet (UV) region and a visible region, the at least one luminophore material configured to use the absorbed light in the UV region and the visible region to emit visible light in the visible region,
wherein:
the visibly transparent LSC has an average visible transmission (AVT) of between 35% and 95% of incident light having wavelengths of between 400 nm and 780 nm; and
values of the CIE L*a*b* color coordinates a* and b* of the transmitted visible light are each between −30 and 30;
the at least one solar photovoltaic cell is coupled to at least one side surface or edge of the visibly transparent waveguide;
the at least one solar photovoltaic cell configured to absorb the visible light emitted from the at least one visibly transparent luminophores and solar radiation, such that the at least one solar photovoltaic cell generates electrical energy;
the at least one solar photovoltaic cell is a first at least one solar photovoltaic cell; and
the LSC further comprising:
a second at least one solar photovoltaic cell coupled to at least one of a top or a bottom surface of the LSC, wherein:
the at least one of the top or the bottom surface of the LSC is perpendicular to the at least one side surface or edge of the visibly transparent waveguide;
the second at least one solar photovoltaic cell is visibly transparent; and
coupling the at least one solar photovoltaic cell to the LSC forms a combined visibly transparent LSC/PV device.