Reactive self-tracking solar concentrators: concept, design, and initial materials characterization

Étendue limits angular acceptance of high-concentration photovoltaic systems and imposes precise two-axis mechanical tracking. We show how a planar micro-optic solar concentrator incorporating a waveguide cladding with a nonlinear optical response to sunlight can reduce mechanical tracking requireme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied optics (2004) 2012-03, Vol.51 (8), p.1086-1094
Main Authors: Baker, Katherine A, Karp, Jason H, Tremblay, Eric J, Hallas, Justin M, Ford, Joseph E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cladding
Concentrators
Density
Nanomaterials
Nanostructure
Polystyrene resins
Sunlight
Tracking
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Summary:Étendue limits angular acceptance of high-concentration photovoltaic systems and imposes precise two-axis mechanical tracking. We show how a planar micro-optic solar concentrator incorporating a waveguide cladding with a nonlinear optical response to sunlight can reduce mechanical tracking requirements. Optical system designs quantify the required response: a large, slow, and localized increase in index of refraction. We describe one candidate materials system: a suspension of high-index particles in a low-index fluid combined with a localized space-charge field to increase particle density and average index. Preliminary experiments demonstrate an index change of aqueous polystyrene nanoparticles in response to a low voltage signal and imply larger responses with optimized nanofluidic materials.
ISSN:1559-128X
2155-3165
DOI:10.1364/AO.51.001086