The accelerating global demand for sustainable energy systems has intensified research into photovoltaic technologies that are not only efficient but also economically scalable and architecturally adaptable. Conventional crystalline silicon solar cells dominate the photovoltaic market; however, their efficiency gains are approaching theoretical limits, and their rigid form factors restrict broader integration into urban and built environments (Okil et al., 2021). In this context, luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have emerged as a transformative approach capable of decoupling light collection from energy conversion, thereby enabling semi-transparent, color-tunable, and low-cost solar harvesting platforms compatible with silicon photovoltaics (Rodrigues et al., 2022; Rafiee et al., 2019). LSCs rely on luminescent materials embedded in waveguides to absorb incident solar radiation and re-emit it at longer wavelengths, guiding the emitted photons toward edge-mounted photovoltaic cells. Despite their conceptual elegance, practical LSC implementations have historically suffered from optical losses, limited spectral coverage, reabsorption phenomena, and insufficient long-term stability.

Recent advances in perovskite-based luminescent materials and photonic management structures have fundamentally altered the LSC research landscape. Hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites and perovskite quantum dots exhibit exceptionally high photoluminescence quantum yields, tunable bandgaps, and strong absorption coefficients, making them ideal candidates for next-generation LSC emitters (Nikolaidou et al., 2016; Zhao et al., 2019). Parallel to these developments, cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) and polymer-stabilized cholesteric systems have gained prominence as broadband, polarization-selective photonic reflectors capable of suppressing escape-cone losses and enhancing waveguide trapping efficiency (Mitov, 2016; Yu et al., 2023). The unique helical superstructure of CLCs enables selective Bragg reflection over tunable spectral ranges, which can be engineered through pitch gradients, polymer stabilization, and photomask-assisted fabrication (Belalia et al., 2006; Zografopoulos et al., 2006).

This article presents a comprehensive, theory-driven analysis of advanced LSC architectures that integrate perovskite emitters with cholesteric liquid crystal photonic structures, framed within the broader evolution of silicon-compatible photovoltaic systems. Drawing exclusively on the provided references, the study synthesizes developments in silicon solar cell technology, LSC optical configurations, perovskite luminescent materials, and anisotropic photonic media. A detailed methodological framework is articulated, encompassing experimental design principles, optical modeling strategies including Monte Carlo and finite-difference time-domain approaches, and materials engineering considerations. The results are discussed in a descriptive yet analytically rigorous manner, highlighting how photonic confinement, spectral management, and emitter–waveguide coupling collectively improve optical efficiency. The discussion further addresses theoretical limitations, unresolved material challenges, and future research directions, particularly the role of hybrid photonic–luminescent systems in building-integrated photovoltaics and low-cost renewable energy deployment. By offering an exhaustive and integrative perspective, this work positions perovskite–cholesteric LSC systems as a critical pathway toward scalable, multifunctional photovoltaic technologies for a green energy future.

Luminescent solar concentrators, perovskite emitters, cholesteric liquid crystals

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