High efficiency, large area, InGaAs/InPAs thermophotovoltaic cells

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells are a class of photovoltaic devices designed to convert radiant heat energy (/spl lambda/ > 1.5 /spl mu/m) to electrical power through the use of low bandgap (/spl sim/ 0.5 eV) semiconductor material systems. Efficiencies in a TPV system may be enhanced by matching...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Siergiej, R.R., Wernsman, B., Derry, S.A., Wehrer, R.J., Link, S.D., Palmisiano, M.N., Riley, D.R., Murray, C.S., Newman, F., Hills, J.
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Gold
Indium gallium arsenide
Indium phosphide
Integrated circuit interconnections
Photonic band gap
Photovoltaic cells
Power conversion
Semiconductor diodes
Substrates
Temperature
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Summary:Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells are a class of photovoltaic devices designed to convert radiant heat energy (/spl lambda/ > 1.5 /spl mu/m) to electrical power through the use of low bandgap (/spl sim/ 0.5 eV) semiconductor material systems. Efficiencies in a TPV system may be enhanced by matching the spectral output of the radiator to the cell and by reflecting photons with energy h/spl nu/ < E/sub g/ to help maintain heat in the radiator. In this paper, we present an InGaAs/InPAs double heterostructure TPV cell that has achieved a power conversion efficiency of 13.8 % and a power density of 0.54 W/cm/sup 2/ for a graphite radiator operating at 995/spl deg/C and a cell temperature of 27.8/spl deg/C. This represents the best performance of a TPV device for these operating conditions to date.
DOI:10.1109/DRC.2001.937913