Radiant/non-Radiant Lifetime Switching in Chlorophyll and Application to Energy Storing Photovoltaic Cells

The absorption, light scattering, and anti-Stoke's fluorescence of chlorophyll and closely related sodium copper chlorophyllin were examined in various solutions with a wide range of refractive index and permittivity. No evidence of anti-Stoke's fluorescence was found in any of the solvents used. On the other hand, it was evident that radiative photo electron decay corresponded to low permittivity solvents, but not correlated to solvent refractive index. Conversely, non-radiative decay was dominant in high permittivity solvents. The properties suggest evolution has provided plants with an ability to redirect light to chlorophyll in the high permittivity (water) photosynthesis center. Furthermore, exploratory solar cells exploiting lifetime switching were developed and tested. These cells have the unique property of charge storage owing to an insulating transport layer.