Quaternary InGaAsSb Thermophotovoltaic Diodes

Technical Report · Thu Mar 09 04:00:00 EST 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/881293· OSTI ID:881293

Dashiell, MW; Beausang, JF; Ehsani, H; Nichols, GJ; Depoy, DM; Danielson, LR; Talamo, P; Rahner, KD; Brown, EJ; Burger, SR; Foruspring, PM; Topper, WF; Baldasaro, PF; Wang, CA; Huang, R; Connors, M; Turner, G; Shellenbarger, Z; Taylor, G; Li, J ; Martinelli, R; Donetski, D; Anikeev, S; Belenky, G; Luryi, S

In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As{sub y}Sb{sub 1-y} thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes were grown lattice-matched to GaSb substrates by Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) in the bandgap range of E{sub G} = 0.5 to 0.6eV. InGaAsSb TPV diodes, utilizing front-surface spectral control filters, are measured with thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency and power density of {eta}{sub TPV} = 19.7% and PD =0.58 W/cm{sup 2} respectively for a radiator temperature of T{sub radiator} = 950 C, diode temperature of T{sub diode} = 27 C, and diode bandgap of E{sub G} = 0.53eV. Practical limits to TPV energy conversion efficiency are established using measured recombination coefficients and optical properties of front surface spectral control filters, which for 0.53eV InGaAsSb TPV energy conversion is {eta}{sub TPV} = 28% and PD = 0.85W/cm{sup 2} at the above operating temperatures. The most severe performance limits are imposed by (1) diode open-circuit voltage (VOC) limits due to intrinsic Auger recombination and (2) parasitic photon absorption in the inactive regions of the module. Experimentally, the diode V{sub OC} is 15% below the practical limit imposed by intrinsic Auger recombination processes. Analysis of InGaAsSb diode electrical performance vs. diode architecture indicate that the V{sub OC} and thus efficiency is limited by extrinsic recombination processes such as through bulk defects.

• Research Organization: Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), Niskayuna, NY
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC12-00SN39357
• OSTI ID: 881293
• Report Number(s): LM-06K006
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ABSORPTION
ARCHITECTURE
DEFECTS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONVERSION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTONS
POWER DENSITY
RADIATORS
RECOMBINATION
SUBSTRATES
VAPOR PHASE EPITAXY
VOLATILE MATTER