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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Thermionic-photovoltaic energy converter

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6334925
A thermionic-photovoltaic energy conversion device comprises a thermionic diode mounted within a hollow tubular photovoltaic converter. The thermionic diode maintains a cesium discharge for producing excited atoms that emit line radiation in the wavelength region of 850 nm to 890 nm. The photovoltaic converter is a silicon or galium arsenide photovoltaic cell having bandgap energies in this same wavelength region for optimum cell efficiency.
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Administration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Patent Number(s):
US 4528417
OSTI ID:
6334925
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English