Mirrors for efficient energy conversion in optoelectronics (Conference Presentation)

Zunaid Omair; Luis M. Pazos-Outon; Eli Yablonovitch

doi:10.1117/12.2543918

9 March 2020 Mirrors for efficient energy conversion in optoelectronics (Conference Presentation)

Zunaid Omair, Luis M. Pazos-Outon, Eli Yablonovitch

Proceedings Volume 11298, Photonic Heat Engines: Science and Applications II; 112980J (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2543918
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2020, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Thermophotovoltaic power conversion utilizes thermal radiation from a local heat source to generate electricity in a photovoltaic cell. It was shown in recent years that the addition of a highly reflective rear mirror to a solar cell maximizes the extraction of luminescence. This, in turn, boosts the voltage, enabling the creation of record-breaking devices. Now we report that the rear mirror can be used to create thermophotovoltaic systems with unprecedented high efficiency. This mirror reflects low-energy infrared photons back into the heat source, recovering their energy. This radically improves thermophotovoltaic efficiency. Therefore, the rear mirror serves a dual function; boosting the voltage and re-using infrared thermal photons. This allows the possibility of a practical >50% efficient thermophotovoltaic system. Based on this reflective rear mirror concept, we recently experimentally demonstrated a thermophotovoltaic efficiency of 29.1%, a new efficiency record. In this work,

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Zunaid Omair, Luis M. Pazos-Outon, and Eli Yablonovitch "Mirrors for efficient energy conversion in optoelectronics (Conference Presentation)", Proc. SPIE 11298, Photonic Heat Engines: Science and Applications II, 112980J (9 March 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2543918

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KEYWORDS

Mirrors

Energy conversion efficiency

Solar energy

Optoelectronics

Reflectivity

Solar cells

Energy efficiency

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