Two-dimensional arrays of micro-cavities effectively control photon motion and selectively emit radiation tailored to the preferred bandgap of photovoltaic (PV) cells, thus enhancing the efficiency of thermophotovoltaic energy conversion. At the high operating temperatures, however, the microand nano-patterned structures of the selective emitters quickly lose their integrity-obliterating the tight tolerances required for precise spectral control. Even if oxidation, recrystallization, and grain growth could be avoided with single-crystal tungsten (W) selective emitters with vacuum packaging, surface diffusion, evaporation, and re-condensation are not avoidable in long-term operation at high temperatures. The concept of a planar array of plugged micro-cavities to suppress the curvaturedependent thermal degradation modes is proposed and tested. Based on scale-accelerated failure tests of silicon devices, the lifetime of W selective emitters operating at 1100 K is estimated to be at least 30 yr. V

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In this work, the deflection equation of a piezoelectrically-driven micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) is analytically determined using a Green's function approach. With the Green's function solution technique, the deflection of a circular plate with an arbitrary circular/ring electrode geometry is explicitly solved for axisymmetric vibration modes. For a PMUT with one center electrode covering ≈60% of the plate radius, the Green's function solution compares well with existing piece-wise and energy-based solutions with errors of less than 1%. The Green's function solution is also simpler than them requiring no numerical integration, and applies to any number of axisymmetric electrode geometries. Experimentally measured static deflection data collected from a fabricated piezoelectric micro ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) is further used to validate the Green's function model analysis. The center deflection and deflection profile data agree well with the Green's function solution over a range of applied bias voltages (5 to 21 V) with the average error between the experimental and Green's function data less than 9%.

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