DPAL: A New Class of Lasers for CW Power Beaming at Ideal Photovoltaic Cell Wavelengths

Conference · Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1721015· OSTI ID:15005470

Krupke, W F; Beach, R J; Payne, S A; Kanz, V K; Early, J T

The new class of diode pumped alkali vapor lasers (DPALs) offers high efficiency cw laser beams at wavelengths which efficiently couple to photovoltaic (PV) cells: silicon cells at 895 nm (cesium), and GaAs cells at 795 nm (rubidium) and at 770 nm (potassium). DPAL electrical efficiencies of 25-30% are projected, enabling PV cell efficiencies {approx}40% (Si) and {approx}60% (GaAs). Near-diffraction-limited DPAL device power scaling into the multi-kilowatt regime from a single aperture is projected.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 15005470
• Report Number(s): UCRL-CONF-155610; TRN: US200322%%458
• Resource Relation: Journal Volume: 702; Conference: 2nd International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, Sendai (JP), 10/20/2003--10/23/2003; Other Information: PBD: 15 Sep 2003
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
APERTURES
CESIUM
EFFICIENCY
HYDROXIDES
LASER POWER TRANSMISSION
LASERS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POTASSIUM
PROPULSION
RUBIDIUM
SILICON
WAVELENGTHS