Optical coatings for thermophotovoltaic spectral control

Abstract

The efficiency of thermophotovoltaic (TPV) energy conversion is dependent on efficient spectral control. An edge pass filter (short pass) in series with a highly doped, epitaxially grown layer has achieved the highest performance of TPV spectral control.

Quaternary InGaAsSb Thermophotovoltaic Diodes

“…This paper uses established semiconductor theory and empirically determined values of InGaAsSb material coefficients [15]- [17] and the optical properties of front surface spectral control filters [5], [6] to determine a practical limit to TPV conversion efficiency applied to the 0.53-eV InGaAsSb TPV material system. This section, along with Tables III and IV, summarizes the TPV diode and spectral modeling assumptions used in this paper.…”

“…• C [5], [6]. For simplicity, spectral performance calculations in this analysis assume a step function reflection profile where the filter reflects 97% below bandgap photons, reflects 15% above bandgap photons, and has a ∼2% parasitic absorbance of above bandgap photons in the filter at all incident photon angles.…”

“…Both systems utilized spectral control filters mounted on the front surface of the diode in order to recuperate below bandgap radiation [5], [6]. Quaternary InGaAsSb alloys were investigated because they can be grown lattice matched to GaSb substrates for bandgaps as low as 0.5 eV [7]- [11]; to date, however, the material underperforms compared to ternary InGaAs TPV diodes.…”

The electronic structure of the antimony chalcogenide series: Prospects for optoelectronic applications

“…Sb 2 O 3 is useful as a flame-retardant in polymers, adhesives and textile back coatings [15,16,17]. Antimony sulphide (Sb 2 S 3 ) has potential applications in solar energy conversion [11], thermoelectrics and optoelectronics [10,12] while antimony selenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ), a high refractive material, is used for optical coatings in thermophotovoltaic applications [18], optical storage and photovoltaic conversion [19]. Antimony telluride (Sb 2 Te 3 ) is mainly used as a thermoelectric material [20,21,22,23] and has recently been identified as a topological insulator (TI), which contains an insulating bulk band gap and gapless metallic surface conductivity [24,25].…”

A comparative study on the electronic and optical properties of Sb-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-Se-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=- thin film

“…It is an orthorhombic crystal with the space group of Pnma 62 [1][2]. It exhibits good thermoelectric and photovoltaic properties which allow possible applications for thermoelectric, thermophotovoltaic [5][6][7][8], solar cells [9] and so on. From the last decade intensive research has been focused on Sb 2 Se 3 as an alternative promising light absorber materials for organic−inorganic hybrid solar cells fabrication [5,10] due to its narrow band gap, low cost, nontoxic, comparatively earth abundant as well as amorphous phase crystallizes readily with a slight increase in temperature [11].…”