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Published on: September 12, 2014
Photochromic Electret: A New Tool for Light Energy Harvesting
Rossella Castagna1,2, Michele Garbugli2, Andrea Bianco3
1Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica "G. Natta" , piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Abstract:
In this paper, a photochromic electret for light energy harvesting is proposed and discussed. Such electret directly converts the photon energy into electric energy thanks to a polarization modulation caused by the photochromic reaction, which leads to a change in dipole moment. Theoretical concepts on which the photochromic electret is based are considered with an estimation of the effectiveness as a function of material properties. Finally, an electret based on a photochromic diarylethene is shown with the photoelectric characterization as a proof of concept device.
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