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Title: Narrow-Bandgap Interband Cascade Thermophotovoltaic Cells

Abstract

In this paper, we report on the characterization of narrow-bandgap (E g ≈ 0.4 eV, at 300 K) interband cascade thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices with InAs/GaSb/AlSb type-II superlattice absorbers. Two device structures with different numbers of stages (two and three) were designed and grown to study the influence of the number of stages and absorber thicknesses on the device performance at high temperatures (300-340 K). Maximum power efficiencies of 9.6% and 6.5% with open-circuit voltages of 800 and 530 mV were achieved in the three- and two-stage devices at 300 K, respectively. These results validate the benefits of a multiple-stage architecture with thin individual absorbers for efficient conversion of infrared radiation into electricity from low-temperature heat sources. Additionally, we developed an effective characterization method, based on an adapted version of Suns-V oc technique, to extract the device series and shunt resistance in these TPV cells.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  3. West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1497660
Report Number(s):
SAND-2017-0365J
Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381; 672221
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381
Publisher:
IEEE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY; III–V semiconductors; interband cascade (IC) structures; series resistance; thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells; type-II superlattice (SL)

Citation Formats

Lotfi, Hossein, Li, Lu, Lei, Lin, Yang, Rui Q., Klem, John F., and Johnson, Matthew B. Narrow-Bandgap Interband Cascade Thermophotovoltaic Cells. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2017.2713415.
Lotfi, Hossein, Li, Lu, Lei, Lin, Yang, Rui Q., Klem, John F., & Johnson, Matthew B. Narrow-Bandgap Interband Cascade Thermophotovoltaic Cells. United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2017.2713415
Lotfi, Hossein, Li, Lu, Lei, Lin, Yang, Rui Q., Klem, John F., and Johnson, Matthew B. Mon . "Narrow-Bandgap Interband Cascade Thermophotovoltaic Cells". United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2017.2713415. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1497660.
@article{osti_1497660,
title = {Narrow-Bandgap Interband Cascade Thermophotovoltaic Cells},
author = {Lotfi, Hossein and Li, Lu and Lei, Lin and Yang, Rui Q. and Klem, John F. and Johnson, Matthew B.},
abstractNote = {In this paper, we report on the characterization of narrow-bandgap (E g ≈ 0.4 eV, at 300 K) interband cascade thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices with InAs/GaSb/AlSb type-II superlattice absorbers. Two device structures with different numbers of stages (two and three) were designed and grown to study the influence of the number of stages and absorber thicknesses on the device performance at high temperatures (300-340 K). Maximum power efficiencies of 9.6% and 6.5% with open-circuit voltages of 800 and 530 mV were achieved in the three- and two-stage devices at 300 K, respectively. These results validate the benefits of a multiple-stage architecture with thin individual absorbers for efficient conversion of infrared radiation into electricity from low-temperature heat sources. Additionally, we developed an effective characterization method, based on an adapted version of Suns-V oc technique, to extract the device series and shunt resistance in these TPV cells.},
doi = {10.1109/JPHOTOV.2017.2713415},
journal = {IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics},
number = 5,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 19 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Mon Jun 19 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Cited by: 19 works
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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1 Figure 1: The optimum bandgap and ultimate efficiency for photovoltaic conversion of energy as a function of heat source temperature. Calculations were carried out based on the theory of detailed balance limit for photovoltaic cells developed by Shockley and Queisser [5]. The heat source was assumed to have a blackbody-typemore » radiation with a 2$\pi$ or 4$\pi$ solid angle.« less

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Enhanced collection efficiencies and performance of interband cascade structures for narrow bandgap semiconductor thermophotovoltaic devices
journal, July 2018

  • Huang, Wenxiang; Lei, Lin; Li, Lu
  • Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 124, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.5030904

InAs/GaSb superlattice interband cascade light emitting diodes with high output power and high wall-plug efficiency
journal, June 2019

  • Zhou, Yi; Lu, Qi; Chai, Xuliang
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 114, Issue 25
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.5098957

Bi 2 Te 3 /Sb 2 Te 3 thermophotovoltaic cells for low temperature infrared radiation
journal, November 2019

  • Li, Xiaojian; Lou, Chaogang; Li, Xin
  • Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, Vol. 53, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1088/1361-6463/ab4edb

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