Micron-gap ThermoPhotoVoltaics (MTPV) is a new technology that offers a breakthrough in the solid-state conversion of heat to electricity.
ThermoPhotoVoltaic (TPV) devices were conceived in the early 1960’s and consist of a heated body which radiates electromagnetic energy across a gap onto a photovoltaic device, converting the radiant power into electrical power. The amount of power generated from a given TPV device area is constrained by the temperature of the hot side of the device and generally requires very high temperatures thereby creating barriers to its practical use.
By contrast, Micron-gap TPV (MTPV) provides a significant breakthrough in power source technology – transferring more power between the emitter and receiver by reducing the size of the gap between them. By employing a submicron gap (less than one millionth of a meter), the achievable power density for MTPV can be increased approximately ten times compared to conventional TPV. Equally compelling, for a given active area and power density, the temperature on the hot-side of an MTPV device can be reduced by about 45% which allows for new applications for on-chip power, waste heat power generation and converter power.