Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc

Michael Frank Hughes

Deborah A Kaminski

Mona Mostafa Hella

Vincent James Oliveto

John Oxaal

A luminescent solar concentrator including a light propagation device, one or more photovoltaic cells, and one or more waveguides is provided. The light propagation device includes a plurality of nanostructures configured to permit preferential propagation of a wavelength range of light in one direction. The one or more photovoltaic cells are positioned adjacent an end of the light propagation device. The one or more waveguides are configured to guide light toward the one or more photovoltaic cells via total internal reflection within the luminescent solar concentrator.

Asymmetric light transmission surfaces for enhancing efficiency of solar concentrators

A system for providing a solar harvesting building envelope is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of solar harvesting apparatus configured to be installed as or on a building envelope in a manner like that of traditional shingles or siding. The apparatus includes a frame having a photovoltaic end wall, and reflective base and side walls. A translucent, wedge-shaped body layer is positioned on the frame. A luminescent species film is positioned at and substantially parallel to a base of the wedge-shaped body layer, such that the luminescent species film is positioned at an angle relative to the photovoltaic end wall. Light incident on the wedge-shaped body layer is concentrated towards the photovoltaic end wall, such as through absorption and re-emission along with scattering by the luminescent species film and internal reflection by the wedge-shaped body layer and the reflective base and side walls of the frame. A plurality of apparatus may be wired together to create the building envelope, which has the added advantage of substantially eliminating shading losses of traditional solar harvesting systems.

Solar power harvesting building envelope

A system for providing a solar harvesting building envelope is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of solar harvesting apparatus configured to be installed as or on a building envelope in manner like that of traditional shingles or siding. The apparatus includes a frame having a photovoltaic end wall, as well as reflective base and side walls. A translucent, wedge-shaped body layer is positioned on the frame. A luminescent species film is positioned at and substantially parallel to a base of the wedge-shaped body layer, such that the luminescent species film is positioned at an angle relative to the photovoltaic end wall. Light incident on the wedge-shaped body layer is concentrated towards the photovoltaic end wall, such as through absorption and re-emission along with scattering by the luminescent species film and internal reflection by the wedge-shaped body layer and the reflective base and side walls of the frame. A plurality of apparatus may be wired together to create the building envelope, which has the added advantage of substantially eliminating shading losses of traditional solar harvesting systems.

A MEMS device and a method of forming the same. A disclosed method includes: providing a silicon substrate layer, a buried oxide layer and a device silicon layer; using a microfabrication process to pattern a set of device features on the device silicon layer including a shuttle mass and an anchor frame; removing the silicon substrate layer and buried oxide below the shuttle mass; placing a shadow mask on a surface of the device silicon layer, wherein the shadow mask has an microscale opening to expose at least one device feature; and forming a nanoscale stopper on a sidewall of the at least one device feature by depositing a deposition material through the opening in a controlled manner.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, NY, United States of America

Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc