The spatial coherence of solar beam radiation is a key constraint in solar rectenna conversion. Here, we present a derivation of the thermodynamic limit for coherence-limited solar power conversion – an expansion of Landsberg’s elegant basic bound, originally limited to incoherent converters at maximum flux concentration. First, we generalize Landsberg’s work to arbitrary concentration and angular confinement. Then we derive how the values are further lowered for coherence-limited converters. The results do not depend on a particular conversion strategy. As such, they pertain to systems that span geometric to physical optics, as well as classical to quantum physics. Our findings indicate promising potential for solar rectenna conversion.

Date Published: 5 September 2014
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 9191, Nonimaging Optics: Efficient Design for Illumination and Solar Concentration XI, 919103 (5 September 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2060659

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9191:
Nonimaging Optics: Efficient Design for Illumination and Solar Concentration XI
Roland Winston; Jeffrey M. Gordon, Editor(s)