Patent ID: 8735719

Claim:
A solar energy apparatus comprising: a waveguide having a top surface, a bottom surface, a detection end and a collection end, the waveguide having an elongated shape with a longitudinal primary axis; a plurality of detectors disposed adjacent the detection end, the detectors comprising photovoltaics of differing wavelengths such that the plurality of photovoltaics is collectively responsive across a photodetector wavelength range, the photovoltaics being disposed adjacent one of the top surface or bottom surface of the waveguide, and two or more of the photovoltaics spatially separated from one another along the longitudinal primary axis of the waveguide, such that the two or more spatially separated photovoltaics receive solar energy from the waveguide within the photodetector wavelength range without solar energy first passing through another selected one of the photovoltaics; and a plurality of individual scattering features disposed on or within the waveguide, the plurality of individual scattering features spaced apart from one another and positioned in locations extending from the collection end to the detection end along the longitudinal primary axis of the waveguide, with the individual scattering features spaced apart from one another by a distance monotonically increasing from the collection end to the detection end, with the range of that monotonically increasing distance depending on the photodetector wavelength range, and to thereby cause the waveguide to operate in a leaky wave mode.