All-inorganic luminescent solar concentrator based on transparent multicomponent glasses embedded with PbSe QDs

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have become a seminal technology with the possibility of producing carbon-neutral buildings. However, current LSCs developed based on organic or organic-inorganic strategies face limited long-term outdoor stability. Here we developed an inorganic PbSe QDs glass with a strong UV absorption, large Stokes shift, broadband excitation and emission, and high transparency in the visible range. In addition, the suitability of inorganic PbSe quantum dots (QDs) glasses for use in LSCs as both transparent matrix and luminophore, as an alternative to the combination scheme of organic dyes or colloidal QDs and organic polymer materials was explored. Coupled with a commercial silicon solar cell, the as -prepared transparent LSC exhibited an optical efficiency of 10.13 % and a power conversion efficiency of 1.59 % under standard sunlight. These results demonstrate a new strategy to fabricate stable all -inorganic transparent LSCs for building integrated photovoltaic systems.