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Fluorescent fibers coupled to monolithic photovoltaic arrays for sunlight conversion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

Oleg V. Sulima ,
Jeffrey A. Cox ,
Paul E. Sims  and
Michael G. Mauk
Oleg V. Sulima
Affiliation:
AstroPower Inc., Solar Park, Newark, DE 19716, U.S.A.
Jeffrey A. Cox
Affiliation:
AstroPower Inc., Solar Park, Newark, DE 19716, U.S.A.
Paul E. Sims
Affiliation:
AstroPower Inc., Solar Park, Newark, DE 19716, U.S.A.
Michael G. Mauk
Affiliation:
AstroPower Inc., Solar Park, Newark, DE 19716, U.S.A.
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Abstract

Thin fluorescent organic fibers are used to collect short wavelength sunlight, convert it to longer wavelengths and illuminate photovoltaic (PV) arrays. Using this approach, miniature and lightweight PV arrays have been fabricated. The incoming light is collected by many fibers and mixed before reaching the PV array. Thus homogenous illumination is provided even with partially shadowed fibers, which can cover a large area and can be arranged in a form of a fabric. The PV array itself can be located in any (even dark) place.

In this work we developed and tested high-performance miniature 21 mm2 AlGaAs/GaAs monolithic arrays consisting of 6 cells connected in series. Output electric power density of 75 mW/cm2 and an open-circuit voltage about 6 V was measured outdoors for the arrays integrated with a bundle of 0.25 – 1.00 mm thick polystyrene fibers. The influence of PV array output parameters on the fluorescent fiber diameter, length, as well as on bandgap and design of solar cells is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 736: Symposium D – Electronics on Unconventional Substrates–Electrotextiles and Giant-Area Flexible Circuits , 2002 , D5.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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References

REFERENCES

Sims, P.E., in Unattended Ground Sensor Technologies and Applications III, edited by Carapezza, E.M. (Proceedings of SPIE, 4393, 2001), pp. 230–240.Google Scholar
2. Sulima, O.V., Cox, J.A., and Sims, P.E., in Unattended Ground Sensor Technologies and Applications IV, edited by Carapezza, E.M. (Proceedings of SPIE, 4743, 2002), pp. 120–128.Google Scholar