Flexible and fluorophore-doped luminescent solar concentrators based on polydimethylsiloxane

We demonstrate a simple and inexpensive method to fabricate flexible and fluorophore-doped luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) serves as a host material which additionally offers the potential to cast LSCs in arbitrary shapes. The laser dye Pyrromethene 567 is used as a prototype fluorophore, and it is shown that it has a high quantum yield of 93% over the concentration range investigated. The optical efficiency and loss channels of the flexible LSCs are investigated; it is also demonstrated that the efficiency remains high while bending the LSC which is essential for flexible LSCs to make an impact on solar energy.