Pulsed stimulated emission luminescent photovoltaic solar concentrator

Abstract

A solar concentrator comprising: a light-transmissive sheet including: a plurality of luminescent particles capable of becoming excited by absorbing light within at least a first spectrum of absorption frequencies and, once excited, capable of being stimulated to emit light having a spectrum within at least a first spectrum of emission frequencies; and a first light-guide; and a light source for generating a pulsed probe light having a spectrum, at least a portion of which is within at least the first spectrum of emission frequencies, for stimulating at least one of the excited luminescent particles having absorbed light within the first spectrum of absorption frequencies such that when the probe light traveling in a first direction of travel stimulates the excited luminescent, the excited luminescent particles emit emitted light having a spectrum within the first spectrum of emission frequencies in the first direction of travel of the probe light.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of concentrating light, comprising:
 (i) exposing at least one light-transmissive sheet, having a plurality of luminescent particles and at least one light-guide, to light, causing the luminescent particles to become excited by absorbing light within at least a first spectrum of absorption frequencies, the excited luminescent particles capable of being stimulated to emit emitted light having a spectrum within at least a first spectrum of emission frequencies;   (ii) stimulating the excited luminescent particles via pulsed probe light having a spectrum, at least a portion of which is within at least the first spectrum of emission frequencies, and traveling in a first direction, to cause the excited luminescent particles to emit emitted light having a spectrum within the first spectrum of emission frequencies in the first direction of travel of the pulsed probe light;   (iii) concentrating and converging the emitted light and the pulsed probe light via total internal reflection in the at least one light-transmissive sheet toward a light collection area.