In this review article, we discuss the recent advances in the III-nitrides, in particular GaN and its ternary alloys, for photovoltaic and thermoelectric devices. The advantages of using the III-nitrides for electronic and optoelectronic applications are well understood and III-nitride devices are already seen in many consumer based products. Recently, an emerging potential of III-nitrides for energy harvesting has been investigated due to its unique materials properties that include a tunable direct band gap, mechanical and thermal stability at high temperatures and excellent electronic transport properties. This review will show that the potential of using the IIInitrides for photovoltaic and thermoelectric applications will be realized as the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic defects on the photovoltaic and thermoelectric properties are better understood.
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