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Title: Efficient light harvesting and photon sensing via engineered cooperative effects

Journal Article · · New Journal of Physics

Abstract Efficient devices for light harvesting and photon sensing are fundamental building blocks of basic energy science and many essential technologies. Recent efforts have turned to biomimicry to design the next generation of light-capturing devices, partially fueled by an appreciation of the fantastic efficiency of the initial stages of natural photosynthetic systems at capturing photons. In such systems extended excitonic states are thought to play a fundamental functional role, inducing cooperative coherent effects, such as superabsorption of light and supertransfer of photoexcitations. Inspired by this observation, we design an artificial light-harvesting and photodetection device that maximally harnesses cooperative effects to enhance efficiency. The design relies on separating absorption and transfer processes (energetically and spatially) in order to overcome the fundamental obstacle to exploiting cooperative effects to enhance light capture: the enhanced emission processes that accompany superabsorption. This engineered separation of processes greatly improves the efficiency and the scalability of the system.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003525
OSTI ID:
1840814
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1834663; OSTI ID: 1865159
Journal Information:
New Journal of Physics, Journal Name: New Journal of Physics Vol. 24 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 1367-2630
Publisher:
IOP PublishingCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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