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:
-
- Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- 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}
}
Web of Science
Figures / Tables:
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
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
Limiting factors and efficiencies of narrow bandgap single-absorber and multi-stage interband cascade thermophotovoltaic cells under monochromatic light illumination
journal, July 2019
- Huang, Wenxiang; Yang, Rui Q.
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 126, Issue 4
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
Figures / Tables found in this record: