Photovoltaic Technologies Beyond the Horizon: Optical Rectenna Solar Cell, Final Report, 1 August 2001-30 September 2002
ITN Energy Systems is developing next-generation solar cells based on the concepts of an optical rectenna. ITN's optical rectenna consists of two key elements: (1) an optical antenna to efficiently absorb the incident solar radiation, and (2) a high-frequency metal-insulator-metal (MIM) tunneling diode that rectifies the AC field across the antenna, providing DC power to an external load. The combination of a rectifying diode at the feedpoints of a receiving antenna is often referred to as a rectenna. Rectennas were originally proposed in the 1960s for power transmission by radio waves for remote powering of aircraft for surveillance or communications platforms. Conversion efficiencies greater than 85% have been demonstrated at radio frequencies (efficiency defined as DC power generated divided by RF power incident on the device). Later, concepts were proposed to extend the rectennas into the IR and optical region of the electromagnetic spectrum for use as energy collection devices (optical rectennas).
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-99-GO10337
- OSTI ID:
- 15003607
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/SR-520-33263; ACQ-1-30619-11; TRN: US200434%%95
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Feb 2003; Related Information: Worked performed by ITN Energy Systems, Inc., Littleton, Colorado
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
42 ENGINEERING
AIRCRAFT
ANTENNAS
COMMUNICATIONS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
POWER TRANSMISSION
RECTENNAS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR RADIATION
TUNNELING
SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
PV
SOLAR CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY
OPTICAL RECTENNA SOLAR CELL
FREE-SPACE WAVELENGTH
BROADBAND ELECTROMAGNETIC FREQUENCY SPECTRUM
METAL-INSULATOR-METAL (MIM)
NANOPATTERNED DIODE
ELECTRON BEAM EVAPORATION
SOLAR ENERGY - PHOTOVOLTAICS