Near-field thermophotovoltaics for efficient heat to electricity conversion at high power density

Rohith Mittapally, Byungjun Lee, Linxiao Zhu, Amin Reihani, Ju Won Lim, Dejiu Fan, Stephen R. Forrest (), Pramod Reddy () and Edgar Meyhofer ()
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Rohith Mittapally: University of Michigan
Byungjun Lee: University of Michigan
Linxiao Zhu: The Pennsylvania State University
Amin Reihani: University of Michigan
Ju Won Lim: University of Michigan
Dejiu Fan: University of Michigan
Stephen R. Forrest: University of Michigan
Pramod Reddy: University of Michigan
Edgar Meyhofer: University of Michigan

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Thermophotovoltaic approaches that take advantage of near-field evanescent modes are being actively explored due to their potential for high-power density and high-efficiency energy conversion. However, progress towards functional near-field thermophotovoltaic devices has been limited by challenges in creating thermally robust planar emitters and photovoltaic cells designed for near-field thermal radiation. Here, we demonstrate record power densities of ~5 kW/m2 at an efficiency of 6.8%, where the efficiency of the system is defined as the ratio of the electrical power output of the PV cell to the radiative heat transfer from the emitter to the PV cell. This was accomplished by developing novel emitter devices that can sustain temperatures as high as 1270 K and positioning them into the near-field (

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24587-7

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