Nearly Index-Matched Luminescent Glass-Phosphor Composites for Photonic Applications

The luminescence concentrator device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of phosphor particles contained in the light emitting composite material are composed of an inorganic crystalline material selected from the group consisting of:

• YxGdyAlvGawO12:M3+, wherein x+y=3 and v+w=5;
• SrGa2S4:M2+;
• SrS:M2+;
• X2Si5N8M2+;
• and
• XSi2O2N2:M2+, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba and wherein M is selected from a group consisting of Ce, Eu, Mn, Nd, Pr, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ir, and Pt.

The luminescence concentrator device of claim 15, wherein the glassy material contained in the light emitting composite material is an optical glass comprising:

• an amount from about 5% to about 35% of SiO2;
• an amount from about 55% to about 88% of PbO;
• optionally an amount less than about 10% of B2O3;
• optionally a combined amount less than about 8% of Na2O and K2O;
• and
• optionally a combined amount less than about 15% total of TiO2, ZrO2, La2O3, ZnO, and BaO.

The luminescence concentrator device of claim 15, wherein the glassy material contained in the light emitting composite material is an optical glass comprising:

• an amount from about 21% to about 30% of TiO2;
• an amount from about 30% to about 50% of BaO, NaO, BeO, CaO, SrO, CdO, Ga2O3, In2O3, or Y2O3;
• an amount from about 18% to about 24% of Al2O3;
• and
• an amount from about 1% to about 10% of SiO2, B203, PbO, GeO2, SnO2, ZrO2, HfO2, or ThO2.

A luminescence concentrator device comprising:

• a light source emitting light having a first wavelength;
• a light tube
• (i) composed of a light emitting composite material, the light emitting composite material
• (a) containing a plurality of phosphor particles and a glassy material wherein a refractive index of each of the phosphor particles is approximately equal to a refractive index of the transparent glassy material, and
• (b) configured to absorb the light having the first wavelength and emit phosphor-emitted light having a second wavelength, and
• (ii) configured to direct the phosphor-emitted light to an opening of the light tube;
• and
• a photovoltaic cell at the opening of the light tube, the photovoltaic cell operable to convert the phosphor-emitted light to an electrical current.