Consideration of coordinated solar tracking of an array of compact solar-pumped lasers combined with photovoltaic cells for electricity generation. (14th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Motohiro, Tomoyoshi; Ichiki, Akihisa; Ichikawa, Tadashi; Ito, Hiroshi; Hasegawa, Kazuo; Mizuno, Shintaro; Ito, Tadashi; Kajino, Tsutomu; Takeda, Yasuhiko; Higuchi, Kazuo
• Is Part Of: Japanese journal of applied physics. Volume 54:Number 8(2015:Aug.)Supplement 1
• Publication Date: 2015-07-14
• Subjects: Physics -- Periodicals; 621.05
• DOI: 10.7567/JJAP.54.08KE04
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-4922

Abstract

Abstract: A monochromatic laser light with a photon energy just above the band edge of photovoltaic cells can be converted into electricity with minimal thermal loss. To attain efficient conversion of sunlight to laser light, a coordinated solar tracking system for an array of originally designed compact solar-pumped lasers of 50 mm aperture diameter is being constructed. As for the feasibility of this system, a prototype with a holding capacity of 25 compact solar-pumped lasers has been fabricated. The primary requisite of this system is that the angular accuracy of tracking should be below 1 mrad for all 25 compact solar-pumped lasers to sustain their continuous lasing. To realize this, imperative challenges have been elucidated including thermal expansion under sunlight. A prototype fabricated with its main frame made of Super Invar alloy was found to fulfill the requisite by measurement using a three-dimensional coordinate measuring machine.