Secondary optic for concentrating photovoltaic device
AssigneesInternational Business Machines Corporation, King Abdulaziz City for Sicence and Technology
InventorsAlhassan Badahdah, Yves C. Martin, Theodore G. Van Kessel, Hussam Khonkar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A light concentrating optic for use with a photovoltaic device includes a light pipe having a first end portion for receiving light and a second end portion for outputting concentrated light. An optical element is coupled to the light pipe on the first end portion and configured to form an optical interface between the light pipe and the optical element. The optical element includes at least one light transmitting surface configured to redirect incident light entering the optical element to disperse the light to fall incident on side walls of the light pipe to increase homogeneity and intensity of light through the second end portion.
Claims29
A light concentrating optic for use with a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- a light pipe having a first end portion for receiving light and a second end portion for outputting concentrated light;
- an optical element coupled to the light pipe on the first end portion and configured to form an optical interface between the light pipe and the optical element, the optical element having at least one light transmitting surface facing toward the light pipe that is configured to redirect incident light entering the optical element to disperse the light to fall incident on side walls of the light pipe to increase homogeneity and intensity of light through the second end portion;
- and
- a convex lens coupled to the optical element via a first interface material, wherein the first interface material has an index of refraction different from the convex and the optical element.
A light concentrating optic for use with a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- a faceted light pipe having a first end portion for receiving light and a second end portion for outputting concentrated light;
- an optical element having at least one light transmitting surface facing toward the light pipe configured to redirect incident light entering the optical element to disperse the light to fall incident on side walls of the light pipe to increase homogeneity and intensity of light through the second end portion;
- a first transmissive interface medium configured to couple light from the optical element to the light pipe, the transmissive interface being configured to permit transmission of light between the optical element and the light pipe to form an optically diffusive interface therebetween;
- and
- a convex lens coupled to the optical element via a second transmissive interface medium, wherein the second transmissive interface medium has an index of refraction different from the convex lens and the optical element.
A method for fabricating a light concentrating optic, comprising:
- mounting an optical element on a first end portion of a light pipe for receiving light, a second end portion of the light pipe for outputting concentrated light;
- bonding the optical element to the light pipe on the first end portion with a first transmissive medium to form an optically transmissive interface between the light pipe and the optical element, the optical element having at least one light transmitting surface facing toward the light pipe configured to redirect incident light entering the optical element to disperse the light to fall incident on side walls of the light pipe to increase homogeneity and intensity of light through the second end portion;
- and
- bonding a convex lens to the optical element via a second transmissive medium, wherein the second transmissive medium has an index of refraction different from the convex lens and the optical element.
A method for concentrating light for a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- molding an optical element to form at least one light transmitting surface configured to redirect incident light entering the optical element;
- mounting the optical element on a first end portion of a light pipe with the at least one light transmitting surface facing toward the light pipe, the first end portion for receiving light, and a second end portion of the light pipe for outputting concentrated light;
- forming an optically transmissive interface between the optical element and the light pipe by employing a first transmissive medium between the light pipe and the optical element, such that light redirected by the optical element falls incident on side walls of the light pipe to increase homogeneity and intensity of light through the second end portion;
- and
- bonding a convex lens to the optical element via a second transmissive medium, wherein the second transmissive medium has an index of refraction different from the convex lens and the optical element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.