A survey of materials options and technologies for GaSb-related thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells is presented, followed by an overview of device design principles and issues. This device technology has been developed for thermal-to-electric generator systems with thermal emitter infrared sources operated in the 1000-1200 • C range. Significant results for the growth, material characterization and device performance of TPV cells based on InGaAsSb, InGaSb, AlGaAsSb and InAsSbP fabricated by LPE, MOCVD, MBE and diffusion methods are reviewed. For single-junction TPV cells, epitaxial heterostructures with a ∼0.53 eV bandgap InGaAsSb base layer and wide-bandgap AlGaAsSb or GaSb window/cladding layers (all closely lattice matched to a GaSb substrate) represent the state of the art. As an alternative, a low-cost Zn-diffusion technology for fabrication of InGaAsSb p-n homojunction structures has been developed for producing the high efficiency TPV cells. External quantum yields as high as 90% at wavelengths (around 2000 nm wavelength), and response edges to about 2400 nm wavelength have been obtained with these TPV cells. Multijunction tandem TPV devices based on GaSb top cells and InGaAsSb bottom cells provide even higher performance. TPV cells based on InAsSbP, also reviewed here, have spectral responses in wavelengths in the 2.5-3.5 µm range, and thus provide a means for utilizing radiation from thermal emitters with lower temperatures.

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Results of a solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) system study are reported. Modeling of the STPV module performance and the analysis of various parameters influencing the system are presented. The ways for the STPV system efficiency to increase and their magnitude are considered such as: improvement of the emitter radiation selectivity and application of selective filters for better matching the emitter radiation spectrum and cell photoresponse; application of the cells with a back side reflector for recycling the sub-band gap photons; and development of low-band gap tandem TPV cells for better utilization of the radiation spectrum. Sunlight concentrator and STPV modules were designed, fabricated, and tested under indoor and outdoor conditions. A cost-effective sunlight concentrator with Fresnel lens was developed as a primary concentrator and a secondary quartz meniscus lens ensured the high concentration ratio of ∼4000×, which is necessary for achieving the high efficiency of the concentrator–emitter system owing to trap escaping radiation. Several types of STPV modules have been developed and tested under concentrated sunlight. Photocurrent density of 4.5A∕cm2 was registered in a photoreceiver based on 1×1cm2GaSb cells under a solar powered tungsten emitter.

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The project FULLSPECTRUM -an Integrated Project (IP) in the terminology of the European Commission -pursues a better exploitation of the FULL solar SPECTRUM by (1) further developing concepts already scientifically proven but not yet developed and (2) by trying to prove new ones in the search for a breakthrough in photovoltaic (PV) technology. More specific objectives are the development of: (a) III-V multijunction cells (MJC), (b) solar thermo-photovoltaic (TPV) converters, (c) intermediate band (IB) materials and cells (IBC), (d) molecular-based concepts (MBC) for full PV utilisation of the solar spectrum and (e) manufacturing technologies (MFG) for novel concepts including assembling. MJC technology towards 40% efficiency will be developed using lower cost substrates and high light concentration (up or above 1000 suns). TPV is a concept with a theoretically high efficiency limit because the entire energy of all the photons is used in the heating process and because the non-used photons can be fed back to the emitter, therefore helping in keeping it hot. In the IBC approach, sub-bandgap photons are exploited by means of an IB. Specific IB materials will be sought by direct synthesis suggested by material-band calculations and using nanotechnology in quantum dot (QD) IBCs. In the development of the MBC, topics such as the development of two-photon dye cells and the development of a static global (direct and diffuse) light concentrator by means of luminescent multicolour dyes and QDs, with the radiation confined by photonic crystals, will be particularly addressed. MFG include optoelectronic assembling techniques and coupling of light to cells with new-optic miniconcentrators. r

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