Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A Review
Luminescent optical concentrators are thin films containing fluorescent dyes that enable light collection over a wide field of view without the need to track the path of the Sun. However, a disadvantage when using luminescent concentrators is that the performance is often impeded by surface losses t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Crystals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/13/12/1615 |
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| author | Atchutananda Surampudi Guanxiong Zhang Ravinder Singh Grahame Faulkner Dominic C. O’Brien Martin J. Booth Stephen M. Morris |
| author_facet | Atchutananda Surampudi Guanxiong Zhang Ravinder Singh Grahame Faulkner Dominic C. O’Brien Martin J. Booth Stephen M. Morris |
| author_sort | Atchutananda Surampudi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Luminescent optical concentrators are thin films containing fluorescent dyes that enable light collection over a wide field of view without the need to track the path of the Sun. However, a disadvantage when using luminescent concentrators is that the performance is often impeded by surface losses through these films. Liquid-crystal (LC) hosts are attractive for luminescent concentrators, as they impart, at the very least, an orientational ordering to the transition dipole moment of the dyes dispersed within these films. This enables the directivity of both the absorption and emission and can reduce surface losses by, for example, adopting the homeotropic alignment of the LC director. This article reviews the developments and applications of LCs to luminescent optical concentrators and describes the strategies that have been introduced to further combat losses by decoupling the absorption and emission processes through Förster energy transfer, the approaches employed to enhance the chemical structures of the dyes, and the methods of using alternative LC phases and external configurations. The review presents a comprehensive summary of the material combinations and the techniques that have been considered in the development of LC-based concentrator films and concludes with a discussion about the future perspectives for these exciting optical concentrators. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:52:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9d66275cea4f47eb9b362e917bc575f7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:52:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Crystals |
| spelling | doaj.art-9d66275cea4f47eb9b362e917bc575f72023-12-22T14:01:47ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522023-11-011312161510.3390/cryst13121615Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A ReviewAtchutananda Surampudi0Guanxiong Zhang1Ravinder Singh2Grahame Faulkner3Dominic C. O’Brien4Martin J. Booth5Stephen M. Morris6Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UKDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UKDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UKDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UKDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UKDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UKDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UKLuminescent optical concentrators are thin films containing fluorescent dyes that enable light collection over a wide field of view without the need to track the path of the Sun. However, a disadvantage when using luminescent concentrators is that the performance is often impeded by surface losses through these films. Liquid-crystal (LC) hosts are attractive for luminescent concentrators, as they impart, at the very least, an orientational ordering to the transition dipole moment of the dyes dispersed within these films. This enables the directivity of both the absorption and emission and can reduce surface losses by, for example, adopting the homeotropic alignment of the LC director. This article reviews the developments and applications of LCs to luminescent optical concentrators and describes the strategies that have been introduced to further combat losses by decoupling the absorption and emission processes through Förster energy transfer, the approaches employed to enhance the chemical structures of the dyes, and the methods of using alternative LC phases and external configurations. The review presents a comprehensive summary of the material combinations and the techniques that have been considered in the development of LC-based concentrator films and concludes with a discussion about the future perspectives for these exciting optical concentrators.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/13/12/1615liquid crystalsluminescent concentratorsguest–host systemscholesteric reflectors |
| spellingShingle | Atchutananda Surampudi Guanxiong Zhang Ravinder Singh Grahame Faulkner Dominic C. O’Brien Martin J. Booth Stephen M. Morris Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A Review Crystals liquid crystals luminescent concentrators guest–host systems cholesteric reflectors |
| title | Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A Review |
| title_full | Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A Review |
| title_short | Liquid Crystals for Luminescent Concentrators: A Review |
| title_sort | liquid crystals for luminescent concentrators a review |
| topic | liquid crystals luminescent concentrators guest–host systems cholesteric reflectors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/13/12/1615 |
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