Measured surface loss from luminescent solar concentrator waveguides

The surface and edge emissions from dye-filled and dye-topped polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate luminescent solar concentrators were measured. We demonstrate that about 40-50% of the absorbed light energy (and 50-70% of the photons) is lost through the top and bottom surfaces of the filled waveguide. In most cases the escape cone losses are greater at the top than the bottom surface.