Quaternary InGaAsSb Thermophotovoltaic Diodes

Dashiell, MW ; Beausang, JF ; Ehsani, H ; Nichols, GJ ; Depoy, DM ; Danielson, LR ; Talamo, P ; Rahner, KD ; Brown, EJ ; Burger, SR ; Foruspring, PM ; Topper, WF ; Baldasaro, PF ; Wang, CA ; Huang, R ; Connors, M ; Turner, G ; Shellenbarger, Z ; Taylor, G ; Li, J ; Martinelli, R ; Donetski, D ; Anikeev, S ; Belenky, G ; Luryi, S

Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory

关键词: Optical Properties;    Vapor Phase Epitaxy;    Photons;    Absorption;    Power Density;   

DOI  :  10.2172/881293
RP-ID  :  LM-06K006
RP-ID  :  DE-AC12-00SN39357
RP-ID  :  881293

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As{sub y}Sb{sub 1-y} thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes were grown lattice-matched to GaSb substrates by Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) in the bandgap range of E{sub G} = 0.5 to 0.6eV. InGaAsSb TPV diodes, utilizing front-surface spectral control filters, are measured with thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency and power density of {eta}{sub TPV} = 19.7% and PD =0.58 W/cm{sup 2} respectively for a radiator temperature of T{sub radiator} = 950 C, diode temperature of T{sub diode} = 27 C, and diode bandgap of E{sub G} = 0.53eV. Practical limits to TPV energy conversion efficiency are established using measured recombination coefficients and optical properties of front surface spectral control filters, which for 0.53eV InGaAsSb TPV energy conversion is {eta}{sub TPV} = 28% and PD = 0.85W/cm{sup 2} at the above operating temperatures. The most severe performance limits are imposed by (1) diode open-circuit voltage (VOC) limits due to intrinsic Auger recombination and (2) parasitic photon absorption in the inactive regions of the module. Experimentally, the diode V{sub OC} is 15% below the practical limit imposed by intrinsic Auger recombination processes. Analysis of InGaAsSb diode electrical performance vs. diode architecture indicate that the V{sub OC} and thus efficiency is limited by extrinsic recombination processes such as through bulk defects.