This study examines concepts for increasing the efficiency of fluorescent concentrator systems. Different system sizes and configurations are investigated in detail by external quantum efficiency measurements, light-beam-induced current maps and by I-V measurements. A photonic structure that serves as a bandstop reflection filter for light emitted from dyes in the fluorescent concentrator increases the system efficiency relatively by 20%. Such photonic structures are especially beneficial for larger systems. The combination of two fluorescent concentrators made with different dyes in one stack increases the system efficiency from 5.1% with only one dye to 6.7% for the stack. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.