Quantum well cells (QWCs) for thermophotovoltaic (TPV) applications are demonstrated in the InGaAsP material system lattice matched to the InP substrate and strain-compensated QWCs also on InP substrates. We show that lattice-matched InGaAsP QWCs are very well suited for TPV applications such as with erbia selective emitters. QWCs with the same effective band gap as a bulk control cell show a better voltage performance in both wide and erbialike emission. We demonstrate a QWC with enhanced efficiency in a narrow-band spectrum compared to a bulk heterostructure control cell with the same absorption edge. A major advantage of QWCs is that the band gap can be engineered by changing the well thickness and varying the composition to the illuminating spectrum. This is relatively straightforward in the lattice-matched InGaAsP system. This approach can be extended to longer wavelengths by using strain-compensation techniques, achieving band gaps as low as that cannot be achieved with lattice-matched bulk material. We show that strain-compensated QWCs have voltage performances that are at least as good as, if not better than, expected from bulk control cells.
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1 December 2006
Research Article|
December 08 2006
InP-based lattice-matched InGaAsP and strain-compensated quantum well cells for thermophotovoltaic applications
Carsten Rohr;
Carsten Rohr
Experimental Solid State Physics, Blackett Laboratory,
Imperial College London
, London SW7 2BW, United Kingdom
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Paul Abbott;
Paul Abbott
Experimental Solid State Physics, Blackett Laboratory,
Imperial College London
, London SW7 2BW, United Kingdom
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Ian Ballard;
Ian Ballard
Experimental Solid State Physics, Blackett Laboratory,
Imperial College London
, London SW7 2BW, United Kingdom
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James P. Connolly;
James P. Connolly
Experimental Solid State Physics, Blackett Laboratory,
Imperial College London
, London SW7 2BW, United Kingdom
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Keith W. J. Barnham;
Keith W. J. Barnham
a)
Experimental Solid State Physics, Blackett Laboratory,
Imperial College London
, London SW7 2BW, United Kingdom
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Massimo Mazzer;
Massimo Mazzer
CNR-IMM
, Sezione di Lecce, Via Arnesano, 73100 Lecce, Italy
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Chris Button;
Chris Button
Bookham
, Caswell, Towcester, Northants NN12 8EQ, United Kingdom
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Lucia Nasi;
Lucia Nasi
CNR-IMEM
, Sezione di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43010 Fontanini, Parma, Italy
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Geoff Hill;
Geoff Hill
EPSRC National Cèntre for III-V Technologies
, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom
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John S. Roberts;
John S. Roberts
EPSRC National Cèntre for III-V Technologies
, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom
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Graham Clarke;
Graham Clarke
IQE Europe Ltd.
, Cardiff CF3 0EG, United Kingdom
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Ravin Ginige
Ravin Ginige
Tyndall National Institute
, Cork, Ireland
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a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; electronic mail: [email protected]
J. Appl. Phys. 100, 114510 (2006)
Article history
Received:
June 02 2006
Accepted:
September 16 2006
Citation
Carsten Rohr, Paul Abbott, Ian Ballard, James P. Connolly, Keith W. J. Barnham, Massimo Mazzer, Chris Button, Lucia Nasi, Geoff Hill, John S. Roberts, Graham Clarke, Ravin Ginige; InP-based lattice-matched InGaAsP and strain-compensated quantum well cells for thermophotovoltaic applications. J. Appl. Phys. 1 December 2006; 100 (11): 114510. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2398466
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