Transparent and 'opaque' conducting electrodes for ultra-thin highly-efficient near-field thermophotovoltaic cells

Scientific Reports
Aristeidis Karalis, John D Joannopoulos

Abstract

Transparent conducting electrodes play a fundamental role in far-field PhotoVoltaic systems, but have never been thoroughly investigated for near-field applications. Here we show, in the context of near-field planar ultra-thin ThermoPhotoVoltaic cells using surface-plasmon-polariton thermal emitters, that the resonant nature of the nanophotonic system significantly alters the design criteria for the necessary conducting front electrode. The traditional ratio of optical-to-DC conductivities is alone not an adequate figure of merit, instead the desired impedance matching between the emitter and absorber modes along with their coupling to the free-carrier resonance of the front electrode are key for optimal device design and performance. Moreover, we demonstrate that conducting electrodes 'opaque' to incoming far-field radiation can, in fact, be used in the near field with decent performance by taking advantage of evanescent photon tunneling from the emitter to the absorber. Finally, we identify and compare appropriate tunable-by-doping materials for front electrodes in near-field ThermoPhotoVoltaics, specifically molybdenum-doped indium oxide, dysprosium-doped cadmium oxide, graphene and diffused semiconductors, but also for 'opa...Continue Reading

References

Nov 15, 1989·Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter·F A ModineC Y Allison
Apr 15, 2010·Optics Express·Weiqiang ChenVladimir M Shalaev
Mar 12, 2013·Scientific Reports·Riccardo Messina, Philippe Ben-Abdallah
Feb 17, 2015·Nature Materials·Edward SachetJon-Paul Maria
Nov 28, 2015·Physical Review Letters·Owen D MillerAlejandro W Rodriguez
Mar 8, 2016·Nature Nanotechnology·Raphael St-GelaisMichal Lipson

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Citations

Oct 1, 2019··Aristeidis KaralisJohn D. Joannopoulos

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
electron scattering

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