Optical designs for ultrahigh-flux infrared and solar energy collection: Monolithic dielectric tailored edge-ray concentrators

A new class of optical designs is developed for attaining ultrahigh flu in infrared and solar energy concentrators. These concentrators are required to satisfy simultaneously three criteria: (1) being monolithic, i.e., comprising a single piece of dielectric such that no mirrored surfaces or air spaces between concentrator elements are introduced; (2) attaining at least 90% of the thermodynamic limit to concentration; and (3) being relatively compact, e.g., aspect ratios of the order of unity or less. Our inventions are rooted in the recently developed formalism of tailored edge-ray concentrators. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America