Luminescent Concentrators | The Sathian MaLT Group

Luminescent concentrators (LCs) are devices which capture and enhance the brightness of incident light. They are designed to absorb light over a large area and then redirect it towards a smaller, more confined region, where it can be utilised more efficiently. The basic structure of an LC consists of a transparent material, known as the matrix, embedded with luminescent materials, often organic dyes. When photons of light enter the matrix, they are absorbed by the luminescent materials, which then re-emit the light at a longer wavelength.

The principle behind LCs is the phenomenon of total internal reflection (TIR). As the re-emitted light travels within the material, it undergoes multiple internal reflections due to the difference in refractive indices between the material and the surroundings. This TIR allows the light to be trapped and guided towards the edges or specific regions of the crystal. By concentrating the light onto a smaller area, the overall efficiency of these devices can be significantly improved.

Within the Sathian MaLT Group, we hold a patent for LC's as a light source. We work on using LC's for various light applications such as laser pumping and medical imaging. The work we do is complete by a combination of experimental work and simulations. We complete Monte-Carlo based ray tracing simulations of LCs using Lighttools alongisde proof through bespoke experimental set ups.

For more information on our LC work, Please check the publications page.