Metamaterial Enhanced Thermophotovoltaic Converter
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United States of America Patent
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Issued Date -
Aug 13, 2015
app pub date -
Feb 13, 2014
filing date -
Feb 13, 2014
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Abandoned
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Abstract
A thermophotovoltaic (TPV) converter includes a spectrally-selective metamaterial emitter and an associated “matched” photovoltaic (PV) cell. The PV cell has an optimal conversion spectrum (i.e., the wavelength range of in-band photons efficiently converted into electricity). The metamaterial emitter is fabricated with bull's eye (circular target-shaped) structures made up of concentric circular ridges that are set at a fixed grating period roughly equal to the associated optimal conversion spectrum. When the emitter is heated to a high temperature (i.e., above 1000° K), thermally excited surface plasmons generated on the concentric circular ridges produce a highly-directional radiant energy beam having a peak emission wavelength that is roughly equal to the fixed grating period and is directed onto the PV cell. The metamaterial emitter is optionally provided with multiple bull's eye structures in a multiplexed (overlapping) pattern and with different grating periods to produce a broad emission spectrum overlapping the optimal conversion spectrum.
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