Title: High temperature selective emitters via critical coupling of weak absorbers

Abstract

Tailoring the emission spectra of a solar thermophotovoltaic emitter away from that of a blackbody, thereby minimizing transmission and thermalization loss in the energy receiver, is a viable approach to circumventing the Shockley-Queisser limit to single junction solar energy conversion. Embodiments allow for radically tuned selective thermal emission that leverages the interplay between two resonant phenomena in a simple planar structure—absorption in weakly-absorbing thin films and reflection in multi-layer dielectric stacks. A virtual screening approach is employed based on Pareto optimality to identify a small number of promising structures for a selective thermal emitter from a search space of millions, several of which approach the ideal values of a step-function selective thermal emitter.

Inventors:

Martinson, Alex B.; Jeon, Nari; Gray, Stephen K.; Foley, IV, Jonathan J.

Issue Date:

Tue Oct 27 00:00:00 EDT 2020

Research Org.:

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1771569

Patent Number(s):

10819270

Application Number:

15/923,909

Assignee:

UChicago Argonne, LLC (Chicago, IL); William Paterson University of New Jersey (Wayne, NJ)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

G - PHYSICS G06 - COMPUTING G06F - ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

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G - PHYSICS G06 - COMPUTING G06F - ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING

G06F11/3628 - {of optimised code
G06F16/2453 - Query optimisation
G06F2101/02 - Linear multivariable functions, i.e. sum of products
G06F2111/06 - Multi-objective optimisation, e.g. Pareto optimisation using simulated annealing [SA], ant colony algorithms or genetic algorithms [GA]
G06F2119/06 - Power analysis or power optimisation
G06F2119/08 - Thermal analysis or thermal optimisation
G06F2212/1041 - Resource optimization
G06F30/00 - Computer-aided design [CAD]
G06F30/20 - Design optimisation, verification or simulation
G06F30/337 - Design optimisation
G06F30/367 - Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods
G06F30/398 - Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM]
G06F9/45516 - {Runtime code conversion or optimisation}
G06F9/4831 - {with variable priority}

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L27/0207 - {Geometrical layout of the components, e.g. computer aided design
H01L31/0547 - {comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection}
H01L33/10 - with a light reflecting structure, e.g. semiconductor Bragg reflector
H01L33/46 - Reflective coating, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflector

H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES

H02S10/30 - Thermophotovoltaic systems

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E10/52 - PV systems with concentrators
Y02E60/00 - Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y04 - INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES HAVING AN IMPACT ON OTHER TECHNOLOGY AREAS Y04S - SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

Y04S40/20 - Information technology specific aspects

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC02-06CH11357; W-31-109-ENG-38

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 03/16/2018

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English