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Large Area Near-Field Thermophotovoltaics for Low Temperature Applications
Jennifer Selvidge1, Ryan M France1, John Goldsmith1
1National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|December 16, 2024
Summary
Near-field thermovoltaics significantly boost power output by utilizing photon tunneling. This research presents a large-area device achieving a 25-fold increase in power at 460°C, promising for low-temperature energy applications.
Area of Science:
- Renewable Energy Conversion
- Nanotechnology
- Solid State Physics
Background:
- Thermophotovoltaics (TPV) convert thermal infrared photons to electricity.
- Conventional far-field TPVs have limited power output at lower temperatures.
- Near-field TPVs offer enhanced power via photon tunneling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a large-area near-field thermovoltaic device.
- To demonstrate the performance enhancement over far-field configurations.
- To explore potential improvements for low-temperature applications.
Main Methods:
- Epitaxial co-fabrication of a self-supported emitter-cell pair.
- Device fabrication with a 150 nm gap.
- Performance characterization at various temperatures.
Main Results:
- A 0.28 cm² near-field TPV device generated 1.22 mW at 460°C.
- Achieved a 25-fold power increase compared to far-field measurements.
- Demonstrated short circuit current densities exceeding the far-field limit, confirming tunneling effects.
Conclusions:
- Near-field TPVs show significant promise for enhanced power generation, especially at lower temperatures.
- Photon tunneling is confirmed as a key mechanism for performance improvement.
- Further optimization can lead to increased power density for practical applications.
