OPTICAL ELEMENT PRODUCING A MODULATED REGION OF INCREASED LIGHT INTENSITY AND OPTICALLY ENHANCED PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL AND LED LIGHTING DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• Main Authors: FRENCH ROGER HARQUAIL, DERRYBERRY REBEKAH ANN, LEWITTES MARK E, RODRIGUEZ-PARADA JOSE MANUEL, RIEGERT RONALD JACK
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.03.2012
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMSTHEREOF; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHERARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; WEAPONS

An optical element has a plano-piano body formed of a first material having a greater refraction index n1 and a second material having a lesser refraction index n2. Both indices are greater than one. The absolute value of the index contrast, log10 (n1/n2), is in the range from about 0.001 to about 0.17, preferably from about 0.01 to about 0.05. The materials have an induced absorbance rate Abs/Dose less than or equal to about 0.4, preferably less than or equal to about 0.2. The materials are arranged such that an interface with at least one cusp is defined therebetween. The cusp has an apex pointed toward the material having the greater index of refraction. The cusp is operative to produce a region of increased light intensity on one surface of the optical element in response to light incident on the other surface of the optical element.