High efficiency, large area, InGaAs/InPAs thermophotovoltaic cells

Author

Siergiej, R.R. ; Wernsman, B. ; Derry, S.J. ; Wehrer, R.J. ; Link, S.D. ; Palmisiano, M.N. ; Riley, D.R. ; Murray, C.S. ; Newman, F. ; Hills, J.

Author_Institution

Bechtel Bettis, Inc, West Mifflin, PA, USA

fYear

2001

fDate

25-27 June 2001

Firstpage

159

Lastpage

160

Abstract

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.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; thermophotovoltaic cells; 1.5 micron; 13.8 percent; 27.8 C; 995 C; InGaAs-InPAs; InGaAs/InPAs double heterostructure thermophotovoltaic cell; photovoltaic device; power conversion efficiency; power density; semiconductor material; Gold; Indium gallium arsenide; Indium phosphide; Integrated circuit interconnections; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Power conversion; Semiconductor diodes; Substrates; Temperature;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Device Research Conference, 2001

Conference_Location

Notre Dame, IN, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7014-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/DRC.2001.937913

Filename

937913