Efficiency limits of photovoltaic fluorescent collectors

Abstract

This paper examines the thermodynamic limits of photovoltaic solar energy conversion by fluorescent collectors. The maximum efficiency of a fluorescent collector corresponds to the Shockley–Queisser limit for a nonconcentrating solar cell with a single bandgap energy. To achieve this efficiency, the collector requires a photonic structure at its surface that acts as an omnidirectional spectral band stop filter. The large potential of photonic structures for the efficiency enhancement of idealized as well as real fluorescent collectors is highlighted.