Efficient thermophotovoltaic solar cells on bent substrates

POSTER

Abstract

Thermophotovoltaic devices show promise as a method of reclaiming waste industrial heat and may provide a competitive and quiet low output heat conversion power supply for remote rural areas. GaSb based devices are well matched to a 1500-2000$^{\circ}$C blackbody emission temperature as well as to the solar spectrum when paired with GaAs. The growth of GaSb on GaAs proceeds via the Stranski-Krastanow mechanism, resulting in rectangular islands of GaSb with their edges orientated along the \textless 110\textgreater directions. The size of the islands is dependent on the growth temperature with smaller islands being produced for lower temperatures. The rectification behavior of p-GaSb/n-GaAs heterojunctions is also strongly dependent on the growth temperature. Possible mechanisms for the rectification at low temperature include more rapid turnover of interface dislocations and a corresponding reduction in carrier generation/recombination processes or passivation of defect centres by greater incorporation of impurities such as hydrogen. By optimizing the growth conditions, efficient p-GaSb/n-GaAs thermophotovoltaic devices have been produced. A series of GaSb and GaAs epilayers grown onto substrates has been used to investigate the effect of bent substrate on external quantum efficiency and spectral response.

Authors

  • Gagik Shmavonyan

    State Engineering University of Armenia

  • Thomas De Grand

    NIST - Boulder, Georgetown University, CU - Boulder, Physics Department, Technion, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago, University of Iowa, TRIUMF, Vancouver, Canada, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA, University of Notre Dame, NSCL, Michigan State University, MI, US, TRIUMF, BC, Canada, ANL, IL, US, Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, IN, US, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, MD, US, Louisiana State University, University of Basel, Gemini Observatory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Victoria, Macquarie University, Regensburg University, Temple University, New Mexico State University, Caltech, The University of Mississippi, Cornell University, Jeffeson Lab, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, University of Virginia, Colorado State University, University of Colorado at Boulder, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, Cornell University, and California State University Fullerton, California Institute of Technology, National Institute of Theoretical Physics, South Africa, Rochester Institute of Technology, Fermilab, Institute of Ion Beam Physics, Research Center Dresden-Rossendorf, 01314 Dresden, Germany, Department of Geosciences, Universit\"at Bremen, Klagenfurter Strasse, 28359 Bremen, Germany, Technische Universit\"at M\"unchen, James-Franck Strasse, 85748 Garching, Germany, Geomagnetism and Gravimetry, Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, Hohe Warte 38, 1190 Vienna, Austria, University of Kentucky, Syracuse University, Columbia University, Rice University, University College London, University of California, Los Angeles, INFN-Napoli, Italy, Princeton University, Bartol Research Institute, Univ. of Delaware, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin, Hanyang University, Korea, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Wollongong, State Engineering University of Armenia, Department of science Laboratory Technology, Osun state Polytechnic, Iree, Department of Pure and Applied Physics, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Osun state Polytechnic, Iree, Department of Physics, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Retired, Loyola Marymount University, Department of Engineering and Science Education, Clemson University, University of Florida, University of Guelph, Florida Atlantic University, University of Toronto, Tsinghua University, Fort Hare institute of Technology (FHIT), Enrico Fermi Institute, Department of Physics, and Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, LANL, Cardiff University, AEI, Hannover, Indiana University \& RIKEN BNL Research Center, Ohio University, Indiana University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NC State University, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Albert Einstein Institute, University of Colorado, Harvard U., Georgia Institute of Technology, Oak Ridge National Lab, University of Tennessee, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, University of The Punjab, Physics Dept., Stanford University, Jefferson Laboratory, Innsbruck University, Desy Zeuthen, LBNL, UCSC, Monash University, NAOJ, IFIC, Universitat de Valencia-CSIC Apdo. 22085 E-46071 Valencia, Spain, Department of Mathematics, Stony Brook University, Department of Mathematics, University of California, Davis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Dartmouth College, University of Wyoming, University of Utah, Dublin Institute of Technology- Focas Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Yale University, Rowan University, College of the Holy Cross, Drake University, Sandia National Laboratories, Institut f\"ur Physik, Universit\"at Augsburg, Colorado School of Mines, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University/NSCL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Kyoto University, RIKEN, Japan, Western Michigan University, Texas A\&M University Cyclotron Institute, NSCL, Michigan State University, Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA, Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA, Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA, University of St. Thomas, MIT, Houghton College, Bogazici University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The University of Iowa, City College of the CUNY, Univ of Maryland--College Park, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, New York University, Columbia University, Utah State University, University of Colorado at Boulder, JILA, Northern Illinois University, Stony Brook University, Jefferson Lab, North Carolina Central University, Indiana University Kokomo, Crest, Indiana University, Brigham Young University, Long Island University, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Perimeter Institute, CITA, Washington State University, Cornell, University of Arizona, Northwestern University, Montana State University, Texas A\&M University, University of Maryland, Hartwick College, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, Central Arizona College, Coolidge, Arizona, John Hopkins University Applied Physics, Laurel, Maryland, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado, Harvard University, Prairie View A\&M University, Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Weizmann, Riso National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, University of Wisconsin--Madison, Wittenberg University, Bergische Universitat Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany; Julich Supercomputing Centre, Julich, Germany, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA, University of North Carolina and TUNL, LBNL and University of Tuebingen, Duke University and Triangle Universities Nuclear Lab, Florida International University, Old Dominion University, LASP University of Colorado Boulder, Laboratory for Nuclear Science at Avery Point, Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Physics Dept, Univ. of Guelph, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, CSIC Madrid, Centro Nacional de Aceleradores, Univ. de Sevilla, Physics Dept, Univ. of Toronto, INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud Catania, INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania, Physics Dept, Univ. of York, Physics Dept, Univ. of Surrey, TRIUMF and Simon Fraser Univ., TRIUMF, Vancouver, Chemistry Dept, Simon Fraser Univ., Dept. de FAMN, Univ. de Sevilla, Physics Dept, Colorado School of Mines, JILA and University of Colorado at Boulder, NIST, CITA - University of Toronto, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris/CNRS, U. of Jyv{\"a}skyl{\"a}, IFIC (CSIC-U. Valencia), ANL, U. of Washington, LANL and TRIUMF, N.C. State University and TUNL, Duke University and TUNL, TUNL, Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL), Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies, \'{S}wierk-Otwock, Poland, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, University of Warsaw, Poland, NIPNE, Bucharest-Magurele, Romania, LPSC, Grenoble, France, University of Jyv\"{a}skyl\"{a}, Finland, Uppsala University, Sweden, NSCL, NSCL/Central Michigan University, NSCL/Rutgers University, ORNL, University of Tennessee/LLNL, University of Tennessee/TRIUMF, Rutgers University, Sungkyunkwan University/ORNL, University of Texas, Austin, University of South Dakota, University of Indiana, Department of Physics, The University of Arizona, Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics(LeCosPA),Department of Physics and Graduate Institute of Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, University of Massachusetts Amherst