Waveguide assisted solar energy harvesting

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) system includes a fiber optical waveguide comprising an active core that hosts material configured to absorb and emit light, a cladding layer surrounding the active core, the cladding layer being configured to allow ambient light to pass through the cladding layer, and an exit port located proximate an end of the waveguide. The PV system further comprises one or more solar cells disposed at the exit port of the waveguide. The waveguide is configured to guide light to the one or more solar cells. Another photovoltaic (PV) system includes a waveguide comprising an active cladding layer hosting material configured to absorb and emit light, and a core layer configured to confine light emitted by the active cladding layer. The PV system further includes one or more solar cells disposed proximate the waveguide. The core layer is configured to guide light to the one or more solar cells.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a U.S. continuation patent application of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to, U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12 / 853,867, filed Aug. 10, 2010, which '867 application published as U.S. patent application publication no. US 2011-0232211 A1, which '867 application issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,463,092 on Jun. 11, 2013, and which '867 application is a U.S. nonprovisional patent application of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to, U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 316,917, filed Mar. 24, 2010. A copy of this provisional application is attached hereto as Appendix A, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Each of the foregoing priority applications, as well as any patent application publications thereof and any patents issuing therefrom, are hereby incorporated herein by reference.COPYRIGHT STATEMENT[0002]All of the material in this patent document is subject to...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent is about a new type of waveguide that helps to improve the efficiency of solar cells. The waveguide has layers of cladding that protect the active layers from environmental conditions and optical loss. This helps to keep the solar cell working properly and maximize its energy output. The patent also includes a method for using the waveguide to improve the efficiency of solar cells.

Problems solved by technology

However, when the thickness of the core layer is smaller (e.g., of the order of a few wavelengths), wave propagation inside of the waveguide is described by Maxwell's equations, and ray optics is no longer applicable.

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