Light leakage in optical fibers: experimental results, modeling and the consequences for solar concentrators

✍ Scribed by Daniel Feuermann; Jeffrey M Gordon; Mahmoud Huleihil

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 441 KB
• Volume: 72
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0038-092X
• DOI: 10.1016/s0038-092x(01)00100-1

✦ Synopsis

Optical fibers used to transport sunlight exhibit considerable light leakage within their nominal numerical aperture. Of particular interest in the design and diagnosis of solar fiber-optic concentrators is the dependence of this leakage on: (a) incidence angle, (b) the optical properties of the core and the cladding, and (c) fiber length. We present measurements of fiber angular transmission, along with a theoretical model. The implications for solar fiber-optic concentrators are also assessed.