ABSTRACT
In this chapter, integrated solar films, which are film-based integrated solar energy conversion systems involving waveguide-type thin-film solar cells and artificial photosynthesis cells, are proposed. By using light beam collecting films, wide-angle light beam collection is possible. Incident light beams collected by the tapered vertical waveguides are introduced into the planar waveguides via the vertical mirrors, and are guided to thin-film solar cells or waveguide-type thin-film solar cells. In the case of integrated solar films, back light can pass through the light beam collecting film. The chapter describes the concept of the waveguide-type thin-film solar cell for cases of sensitized solar cells. In integrated solar films consisting of waveguide-type thin-film solar cells, two types of light beam couplings are involved. In addition, preliminary simulation results for light beam collecting films are briefly described.
