Abstract
Recent progress in the development of high-performance, 0.6-eV Ga0.32In0.68As/InAs0.32P0.68 thermophotovoltaic (TPV) converters and monolithically interconnected modules (MIMs) is described. The converter structure design is based on using a lattice-matched InAs0.32P0.68/Ga0.32In0.68/InAs0.32P0.68 double-heterostructure (DH) device, which is grown lattice-mismatched on an InP substrate, with anintervening compositionally step-graded region of InAsyP1-y. The Ga0.32In0.68As alloy has a room-temperature band gap of approx. 0.6 eV and contains a p/n junction. The InAs0.32P0.68 layers have a room-temperature band gap of approx. 0.96 eV and serve as passivation/confinement layers for the Ga0.32In0.68As p/n junction. InAsyP1-y step grades have yielded DH converters with superior electronicquality and performance characteristics. Details of the microstructure of the converters are presented. Converters prepared for this work were grown by atmospheric-pressure metalorganic vapor-phase epitacy (APMOVPE) and were processed using a combination of photolithography, wet-chemical etching, and conventional metal and insulator deposition techniques. Excellent performance characteristicshave been demonstrated for the 0.6-eV TPV converters. Additionally, the implementation of MIM technology in these converters has been highly successful.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 12 |
| State | Published - 1998 |
| Event | Fourth NREL Conference on Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity - Denver, Colorado Duration: 11 Oct 1998 → 14 Oct 1998 |
Conference
| Conference | Fourth NREL Conference on Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity |
|---|---|
| City | Denver, Colorado |
| Period | 11/10/98 → 14/10/98 |
NREL Publication Number
- NREL/CP-520-25539