@inproceedings{575f566f63ba48c58038888c6bf22461,
title = "Transparency-switching optical element for sun tracking applications",
abstract = "We present a novel optical element that behaves as a dynamic aperture capable of tracking a moving light source. The element is based on a composite material which when heated undergoes reversible transition from an opaque to transparent state, resulting from a phase transition in one of its components that modifies the microstructure of the material. The material has been designed to undergo a localized transparency transition at the point of illumination by a focused beam, activated by the absorption and conversion to heat of a portion of the incident light. As a result of this mechanism the aperture reactively tracks a moving light spot, such as that created by focusing sunlight onto a surface during the suns apparent motion through the sky. Such an element has been proposed as a solution to the sun tracking problem of solar concentration, as it allows admission of sunlight into a concentrating light trap over a wide range of solar angles.",
keywords = "concentrated photovoltaics, optical materials, self-tracking, solar concentration, Switchable transparency",
author = "Harry Apostoleris and Samuele Lilliu and Matteo Chiesa and Marco Stefancich",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 SPIE.; Integrated Optics: Physics and Simulations II ; Conference date: 13-04-2015 Through 15-04-2015",
year = "2015",
doi = "10.1117/12.2179947",
language = "British English",
series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",
publisher = "SPIE",
editor = "Pavel Cheben and Jiri Ctyroky and Inigo Molina-Fernandez",
booktitle = "Integrated Optics",
address = "United States",
}