Department: Chemistry
Advisor: Daniel Gamelin
My research focuses on synthesizing and characterizing highly anisotropic Mn2+-doped II-VI nanoplatelet semiconductors that show prospects to serve as chromophores in Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). LSCs are optical devices that leverage solar downconversion to overcome thermalization losses that lead to inefficiencies in solar photovoltaics. These materials absorb sunlight over a broad spectral region and emit lower-energy photons that are energetically well-matched to the optimal performance of the photovoltaic, increasing its overall efficiency. The transparent nature of these devices makes them well-suited as solar windows for integration into
buildings. However, current LSCs lack emission directionality due to the scattering of emitted light which results in energy losses. Our material portrays a high absorption cross-section that leads to efficient photon capture while the doped Mn2+ emission is directionalized by the nanoplatelet morphology.