Modeling Efficiency of InAs-Based Near-Field Thermophotovoltaic Devices

Gavin P. Forcade, Christopher E. Valdivia, Shengyuan Lu, Sean Molesky, Alejandro W. Rodriguez, Jacob J. Krich, Raphael St-Gelais, Karin Hinzer

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Enormous potential lies in waste-heat recycling for the world's industrial sector. Portable solid-state modules are a universal low-maintenance method to recycle this waste-heat. One such technology, near-field thermophotovoltaics (NFTPV), relies on a heat source in extreme proximity (<200 nm) to a photovoltaic cell, which then generates electricity. We developed an optoelectronic model where electron-hole pair generation rates are calculated using fluctuation electrodynamics, which we input into an electrical model based in Synopsys TCAD Sentaurus. Using our optoelectronic model, we optimized a novel InAs-based NFTPV device for a 700 K radiator 100 nm away from the PV cell with an efficiency reaching ~17%, more than an order of magnitude higher than current NFTPV device efficiencies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2021 International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices, NUSOD 2021
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Pages53-54
Number of pages2
ISBN (Electronic)9781665412766
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 13 2021
Externally publishedYes
Event2021 International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices, NUSOD 2021 - Turin, Italy
Duration: Sep 13 2021Sep 17 2021

Publication series

NameProceedings of the International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices, NUSOD
Volume2021-September
ISSN (Print)2158-3234

Conference

Conference2021 International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices, NUSOD 2021
Country/TerritoryItaly
CityTurin
Period9/13/219/17/21

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Modeling and Simulation

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