Luminescent Solar Concentrators with Strip Waveguide Array Achieving 85% Light Trapping Efficiency

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are limited by intrinsic escape-cone losses that reduce their light-harvesting efficiency. In this work, we introduce a strip-array waveguide design that enhances light trapping to 85%, exceeding the theoretical limit imposed by total internal reflection (TIR). Using tetramethylammonium manganese chloride (TMAMnCl3) as the fluorophore, the device achieves an optical efficiency of 7.9% and a corresponding solar power conversion efficiency of 4.4% when all four edges are coated. The improved performance is attributed to reduced escape-cone loss, suppressed scattering, and a broad absorption spectrum (300–550 nm) that aligns with the high-intensity region of the solar spectrum. A stamping-assisted fabrication approach enables straightforward pattern definition and is compatible with various polymer matrices and emissive materials, offering a scalable route toward integrated LSC–PV devices.