Spectral Utilization in Thermophotovoltaic Devices

Abstract

AbstractMultilayer assemblies of epitaxially-grown, Ill-V semiconductor materials are being investigated for use in thermophotovoltaic (TPV) energy conversion applications. It has been observed that thick, highly-doped semiconductor layers within cell architectures dominate the parasitic free-carrier absorption (FCA) of devices at wavelengths above the bandgap of the semiconductor material. In this work, the wavelength-dependent, free-carrier absorption of p- and n-type InGaAs layers grown epitaxially onto semi-insulating InP substrates has been measured and related to the total absorption of long-wavelength photons in thermophotovoltaic devices. The optical responses of the TPV cells are then used in the calculation of spectral utilization factors and device efficiencies.