Absorption tails and extinction in luminescent solar concentrators

Abstract

Non-ultraviolet (UV) photoexposure of luminescent solar concentrators (LSC's) can produce photoproducts that cause additional extinction at wavelengths somewhat longer than the main dye absorption peak. This photo-induced 'tails' extinction is deleterious to luminous output in collectors of useful lengths. An experimental method that enables the subdivision of tails extinction in an LSC into absorbed and scattered components is described. The relevant theory is outlined, and experimental results are presented for a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) LSC containing Lumogen F083 dye. For this sample, tails absorption increased significantly with outdoor exposure, while tails scattering remained constant. Further measurements indicate that LSC luminous output is around five times more sensitive to tails absorption than to fluorescence quenching. This work also indicates that merely checking for dye quenching, as is often done, can be a misleading indicator of long-term LSC output.