| Summary: | Thesis (Sc. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2006. === Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-123). === This thesis explores the modeling, design, and optimization of photonic crystals as spectral control components for high-performance thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power conversion. In particular, we focus on the use of one-dimensional and two dimensional photonic crystals as optical filters and selective thermal emitters for thermophotovoltaic and micro-thermophotovoltaic (micro-TPV)) applications. In addition, we explore fundamental limitations of photonic crystal thermal emitters and provide new insights into the limiting power transfer mechanisms that are relevant for TPV, micro-TPV, lighting and sensor applications. Ideal thermodynamic models that capture dominant power transfer mechanism for TPV and micro-TPV case, are developed and used for the design, optimization and system performance estimation of TPV systems with photonic-crystals. Furthermore, we propose for the first time two new classes of narrow-band thermal emitters that use the resonant cavity effect. The first type of narrow-band thermal emitters rely on vertical-cavity to enhance the thermal emission of highly reflective materials (e.g metals). This class of emitters was named the vertical cavity enhanced resonant thermal emitter (VERTE). === (cont.) The second type of resonant thermal emitters rely on guided resonances in a two-dimensional photonic crystal slab to enhance the emittance of a high-dielectric low-absorption material (e.g. silicon). Both types of resonant thermal emission sources are quasi-monochromatic, and partially-coherent thermal sources that hold great promise for applications ranging from highly-efficient TPV systems to near-IR and IR sensors. Finally, experimentally measured spectral characteristics of fabricated one-dimensional and two-dimensional photonic-crystals show excellent correlation with simulation results. It was shown that a TPV system comprising of the proposed front-side filter and selective thermal emitter exhibits a three-fold enhancement in efficiency over the conventional TPV systems. === by Ivan Čelanović. === Sc.D.
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