Cell‐Mounted Spectral Filters for Thermophotovoltaic Applications

Spectral filters deposited directly onto the surfaces of cells have been studied through simulation and measurement. Whereas conventional anti‐reflection coating materials give low reflectivity over a wide wavelength range, it is vital in thermophotovoltaic applications that low energy photons are prevented from reaching the cell. Filters which include thin metallic layers and filters containing transparent conducting oxides have been investigated for deposition onto GaSb based cells. The metallic layers can be used to produce a band‐pass effect above the band‐gap of GaSb. Initial results on the transparent conducting oxide show it to possess non‐ideal characteristics, which require improvement before the material can be considered for such a system.