We report a quantitative model of a near-field thermophotovoltaic (TPV) device consisting in a thermal source located in the near field of a TPV cell. The enhanced radiative transfer at short distance leads to an increase of the photogeneration current. We analyze quantitatively other potential near-field effects, in particular, on the dark current. We also study the influence of the modification of the spectrum of the sources in the near field, comparing the case of a tungsten source with the case of a quasimonochromatic source. Our model leads to a quantitative evaluation of the near-field TPV device output electric power and efficiency.
REFERENCES
1.
T.
Coutts
, Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev.
3
, 77
(1999
).2.
S. M.
Rytov
, Y. A.
Kravstov
, and V. I.
Tatarskii
, Principles of Statistical Radiophysics
(Springer-Verlag
, Berlin
, 1989
).3.
D.
Polder
and M.
Van Hove
, Phys. Rev. B
4
, 3303
(1971
).4.
J. J.
Loomis
and H. J.
Maris
, Phys. Rev. B
50
, 18517
(1994
).5.
6.
C. H.
Park
, H. A.
Haus
, and M. S.
Weinberg
, J. Phys. D
35
, 2857
(2002
).7.
J.-P.
Mulet
, K.
Joulain
, R.
Carminati
, and J.-J.
Greffet
, Microscale Thermophys. Eng.
6
, 209
(2002
).8.
A.
Narayanaswamy
and G.
Chen
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
82
, 3544
(2003
).9.
R. S.
DiMatteo
, P.
Greiff
, S. L.
Finberg
, K. A.
Young-Whaite
, H. K. H.
Choy
, M. M.
Masaki
, and C. G.
Fonstad
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
79
, 1894
(2001
).10.
M. D.
Whale
and E. G.
Cravalho
, IEEE Trans. Energy Convers.
17
, 130
(2002
).11.
J.-J.
Greffet
, R.
Carminati
, K.
Joulain
, J. P.
Mulet
, S.
Mainguy
, and Y.
Chen
, Nature (London)
416
, 61
(2002
).12.
A.
Heinzel
, V.
Boerner
, A.
Gombert
, B.
BlSsi
, V.
Wittwer
, and J.
Luther
, J. Mod. Opt.
47
, 2399
(2000
).13.
S.
Maruyama
, T.
Kashiwa
, H.
Yugami
, and M.
Esashi
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
79
, 1393
(2001
).14.
H.
Sai
and H.
Yugami
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
85
, 3399
(2004
).15.
F.
O’Sullivan
, I.
Celanovic
, N.
Jovanovic
, J.
Kassakian
, S.
Akiyama
, and K.
Wada
, J. Appl. Phys.
97
, 033529
(2005
).16.
M. U.
Pralle
et al., Appl. Phys. Lett.
81
, 4685
(2002
).17.
S. Y.
Lin
, J.-G.
Fleming
, and I.
El-Kady
, Opt. Lett.
28
, 1909
(2003
).18.
19.
R.
Carminati
and J.-J.
Greffet
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
82
, 1660
(1999
).20.
K.
Joulain
, R.
Carminati
, J.-P.
Mulet
, and J.-J.
Greffet
, Phys. Rev. B
68
, 235404
(2003
).21.
22.
K.
Joulain
, J.-P.
Mulet
, F.
Marquier
, R.
Carminati
, and J.-J.
Greffet
, Surf. Sci. Rep.
57
, 59
(2005
).23.
P. F.
Baldasaro
, J. E.
Raynolds
, G. W.
Charache
, D. M.
DePoy
, C. T.
Ballinger
, T.
Donovan
, and J. M.
Borrego
, J. Appl. Phys.
89
, 3319
(2001
).24.
K. H.
Drexhage
, J. Lumin.
1
, 693
(1970
).25.
26.
27.
S.
Adachi
, J. Appl. Phys.
66
, 6030
(1989
).28.
J. B.
Pendry
, A.
Holden
, W.
Stewart
, and I.
Youngs
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
76
, 4773
(1996
).29.
J. B.
Pendry
, L.
Martin-Moreno
, and F.
Garcia-Vidal
, Science
305
, 847
(2005
).30.
F.
Garcia-Vidal
, J.
Sanchez-Dehesa
, A.
Dechelette
, E.
Bustarret
, T.
Lopez-Rios
, T.
Fournier
, and B.
Pannetier
, J. Lightwave Technol.
17
, 2191
(1999
).31.
T.
Lopez-Rios
, D.
Mendoza
, F.
Garcia-Vidal
, J.
Sanchez-Dehesa
, and B.
Pannetier
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
81
, 665
(1998
).32.
33.
34.
35.
W.
Shockley
and H.
Queisser
, J. Appl. Phys.
32
, 510
(1961
).© 2006 American Institute of Physics.
2006
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.
