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Title: System and method for work function reduction and thermionic energy conversion

Abstract

A thermionic energy converter, preferably including an anode and a cathode. An anode of a thermionic energy converter, preferably including an n-type semiconductor, one or more supplemental layers, and an electrical contact. A method for work function reduction and/or thermionic energy conversion, preferably including inputting thermal energy to a thermionic energy converter, illuminating an anode of the thermionic energy converter, thereby preferably reducing a work function of the anode, and extracting electrical power from the system.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Spark Thermionics, Inc., Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E); Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
OSTI Identifier:
1987023
Patent Number(s):
11552233
Application Number:
16/715,705
Assignee:
Spark Thermionics, Inc. (Berkeley, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
AR0000664; HR0011-17-P-0003; W911NF-17-P-0034
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 12/16/2019
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Schwede, Jared William, and Hess, Lucas Heinrich. System and method for work function reduction and thermionic energy conversion. United States: N. p., 2023. Web.
Schwede, Jared William, & Hess, Lucas Heinrich. System and method for work function reduction and thermionic energy conversion. United States.
Schwede, Jared William, and Hess, Lucas Heinrich. Tue . "System and method for work function reduction and thermionic energy conversion". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1987023.
@article{osti_1987023,
title = {System and method for work function reduction and thermionic energy conversion},
author = {Schwede, Jared William and Hess, Lucas Heinrich},
abstractNote = {A thermionic energy converter, preferably including an anode and a cathode. An anode of a thermionic energy converter, preferably including an n-type semiconductor, one or more supplemental layers, and an electrical contact. A method for work function reduction and/or thermionic energy conversion, preferably including inputting thermal energy to a thermionic energy converter, illuminating an anode of the thermionic energy converter, thereby preferably reducing a work function of the anode, and extracting electrical power from the system.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2023},
month = {1}
}

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