Development of high efficiency thermophotovoltaics for space power applications

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1996 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.50001· OSTI ID:385451

Uppal, P; Svensson, S P; Gill, D ^[1]; Loughin, S ^[2]

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1. Lockheed Martin Laboratories, 1450 South Rolling Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21227 (United States)
2. Lockheed Martin Astro Space, Mail Stop 29B12, P.O. Box 8555, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 (United States)

This paper reports recent progress on thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices for space power applications. Previous investigations (Schock 1994 and Ewell 1993) indicate that the TPV approach may offer greater efficiency than conventional thermoelectric conversion. We discuss an approach based on photovoltaic (PV) devices made from ternary and quaternary III-V alloys, using dielectric and plasma filters. The objective is to develop a TPV cell and filter which is {open_quote}{open_quote}tunable{close_quote}{close_quote} to the emission spectrum of radioisotope or reactor heat sources, at temperatures in the range of 1273{endash}1473 K. An advantage of quaternary III-V semiconductors is that devices can be fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on a suitable binary substrate, such as GaSb or InAs, and the band gap and lattice constant can be adjusted independently to match requirements. Energy gaps from 0.5 to 0.72 eV can be obtained. The use of Al as one component of a III-V quaternary provides exceptional adjustability of the gap, while the use of Sb as one component reduces surface recombination velocity{emdash}enhancing collection efficiency. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 385451
• Report Number(s): CONF-960109-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 96:026220
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 361, Issue 1; Conference: STAIF 96: space technology and applications international forum, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 7-11 Jan 1996; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCE TECHNOLOGY
THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS
SPACE FLIGHT
SPACE VEHICLE COMPONENTS
ENERGY CONVERSION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
POWER GENERATION
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
GALLIUM ANTIMONIDES
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems