Polarizing Photovoltaic Device and its Application in Liquid Crystal Displays and Tandem Solar Cells

Longer battery life due to more recovery of lost photons Solar cells invisibly embedded in display screen

Energy recovery in LCD displays of handheld devices Embedded solar cells in display screens

Researchers at UCLA have developed an energy recycling technology called polarizing organic photovoltaics (ZOPVs), which can boost the function of the LCD by working simultaneously as a polarizer, a photovoltaic device, and an ambient light or sunlight photovoltaic panel. Since the polarizers are the biggest energy-loss components, turning the polarizers into energy-generating photovoltaic units recovers the energy from the photons which would be otherwise lost. Compared with their silicon or other inorganic or organic-inorganic hybrid counterparts, a unique advantage of the organic conjugated materials is that the molecular chains can be easily reoriented.

Patent Number: WO2012142168A3
Application Number: WO2012US33133A
Inventor: YANG, Yang | ZHU, Rui
Priority Date: 11 Apr 2011
Priority Number: WO2012142168A3
Application Date: 11 Apr 2012
Publication Date: 3 Jan 2013
IPC Current: G02F00011335 | G02B000530
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: POLARIZING PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND APPLICATIONS IN LCD DISPLAYS AND TANDEM SOLAR CELLS | DISPOSITIFS PHOTOVOLTAÏQUES DE POLARISATION ET APPLICATIONS DANS DES DISPOSITIFS D'AFFICHAGE À CRISTAUX LIQUIDES ET DES CELLULES SOLAIRES TANDEM
Usefulness: POLARIZING PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND APPLICATIONS IN LCD DISPLAYS AND TANDEM SOLAR CELLS | DISPOSITIFS PHOTOVOLTAÏQUES DE POLARISATION ET APPLICATIONS DANS DES DISPOSITIFS D'AFFICHAGE À CRISTAUX LIQUIDES ET DES CELLULES SOLAIRES TANDEM
Summary: Electro-optic device i.e. inverted photovoltaic polarizer, for an LCD (all claimed) of an electronic device e.g. computer, laptop, TV, instrument panel and projector, in an aircraft. Can also be used as a tandem photovoltaic polarizer.
Novelty: Electro-optic device i.e. inverted photovoltaic polarizer, for LCD of e.g. computer in aircraft, has active layer comprising quasi-bilayer, where molecules of bi-layer has long axis longer than corresponding transverse axes

Environmental/Green Technology

Solar Cell

9209340

State Of Development

First stage proof-of-concept device has been fabricated. A novel inverted quasi-bilayer structure was used to produce ZOPV devices. Significant anisotropic optical and photovoltaic effects were obtained, indicating the great potential of ZOPV as a promising green technology. 

Background

The ubiquitous LCD screen is energy inefficient because most of the photons generated by the backlight unit are lost to the polarizing layers (75%). For instance, when a black color is displayed by the LCD, the backlight is still fully on thereby wasting energy that could otherwise be conserved or recycled. The power consumption of the backlight units takes up 80~90% of the total power consumption in LCD modules.      

Related Materials

Polarizing Organic Photovoltaics. Zhu et al. 2011 Advanced Materials DOI: 10.1002/adma.201101514

Additional Technologies by these Inventors

• High-throughput Solution Processing of Large Scale Graphene for Device Applications
• Solution-Deposition of CIGS Solar Cell by Spray-Coating
• Three-Terminal Organic Memory Devices
• Bottom Insulating Gate Vertical Organic Transistor
• Rewritable Nano-Surface Organic Electrical Bistable Devices
• Organic Electrical Bistable Devices Fabricated by Solution Processing
• Organic Bistable Device and Organic Memory Cells
• Solution Synthesis and Deposition of Kesterite Copper Zinc Tin Chalcogenide Films
• Conjugated Polymers with Selenium Substituted Diketopyrrolopyrrole Unit for Electronics Devices
• Multiple Donor/Acceptor Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells
• Au Nanoparticles Doped Polyaniline Nanofiber Non-Volatile Memory Device
• Titanium Oxide as the Window Layer for Metal Chalcogenide Photovoltaic Devices
• Novel Polymers For Polymer Solar Cells, Transistors, And Sensors
• Silver Nanowire-Indium Tin Oxide Nanoparticle As A Transparent Conductor For Optoelectronic Devices
• Design Of Semi-Transparent, Transparent, Stacked Or Top-Illuminated Organic Photovoltaic Devices
• Amorphous Silicon And Polymer Hybrid Tandem Photovoltaic Cell
• Efficient And Stable Of Perovskite Solar Cells With All Solution Processed Metal Oxide Transporting Layers
• A Bi-Functional Lewis Base Additive For Microscopic Homogeneity In Perovskite Solar Cells

Tech ID/UC Case

23184/2010-666-0

Related Cases

2010-666-0

USA

Desktop View