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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records

World Record Demonstration of > 30% Thermophotovoltaic Conversion Efficiency

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices are solid-state heat engines that convert thermal radiation into electricity using semiconductor diodes, and have applications in energy storage, primary power conversion, and waste heat recovery. Higher temperature emitters and wider band gap photovoltaics (PVs) generally afford higher TPV efficiencies. High temperature emitters are accessible in thermal energy storage applications. We have demonstrated a world record 31% +/- 2% TPV conversion efficiency with a 0.9 cm2 GaAs-based PV device under a 2430 °C thermal emitter, producing an electrical output power of 2.23 W. Critical to the result was the cell’s high reflectance of photon energies below the device band gap. Unlike solar PV, for which sub-band gap (SBG) light is lost, a TPV cell can reflect and recycle SBG light to the thermal emitter. The demonstration was made on a custom-built measurement platform in which a ~100 cm2 graphite thermal emitter was heated under vacuum up to 2430 °C. The TPV efficiency was evaluated by comparing the measured electrical output power of the TPV with the calorimetrically measured total net power incident on the cell. The measured TPV efficiency as a function of thermal emitter temperature was corroborated by our full system modeling predictions. As far as the authors are aware, this is the highest TPV conversion efficiency ever measured, and device improvements should yield > 40% efficiency in the near future.

27 ARPA - Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy↗

Over 11% Efficient Eco-Friendly Kesterite Solar Cell: Effects of S-Enriched Surface of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Absorber and Band Gap Controlled (Zn,Sn)O Buffer

For high efficiency kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cell, CdS thin film was usually used as a buffer layer. However, due to the toxicity of Cd and pollution problems involved from the solution-based chemical bath deposition, eco-friendly high efficiency CZTSSe solar cell with Cd-free buffer is necessary. As an Cd-free buffer layer, we investigated (Zn,Sn)O (ZTO) film deposited by sputtering method. In order to achieve high power conversion efficiency, we controlled energy band gaps of CZTSSe absorber as well as ZTO buffer, which was required to optimize conduction band offset (CBO) between the absorber and the buffer and to increase open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF). The CBO was optimized by controlling the band gap of ZTO. By varying the Sn/(Zn + Sn) ratio and its deposition temperature, band gap of ZTO was successfully adjusted. Experimental and computational calculation results showed that solar cell performance was strongly affected by the CBO between absorber and buffer. Besides CBO matching, larger band gap of ZTO improved short circuit current density (Jsc) with enhanced external quantum efficiency value in blue photon spectrum range. As an additional way to improve power conversion efficiency of solar cell, band graded CZTSSe absorber was developed by using spray-based two-step process. The sprayed CZTSSe film was engineered to have S-enriched surface, which makes surface band gap widened and surface passivated, and resultantly increases Voc, Jsc and fill factor (FF). By controlling band gaps of both CZTSSe absorber and ZTO buffer, we obtained 11.22% environment-friendly CZTSSe solar cell without MgF2 anti-reflection coating.

(Zn↗

Graded Buffer Bragg Reflectors with High Reflectivity and Transparency for Metamorphic Optoelectronics

A graded buffer Bragg reflector (GBBR) is a bifunctional device component that provides the reflection of a distributed Bragg reflector and the adjustable lattice constant of a compositionally graded buffer. Prior work showed that these properties can be combined with low threading dislocation density and high reflectivity. Here, we design and demonstrate complex GBBRs for specific metamorphic solar cell applications. We design buffers that provide (1) high reflectivity over a narrow bandwidth, for quantum well solar cells, (2) reflectivity over a wide bandwidth, for optically thin solar cells, and (3) low sidelobe reflection, for multijunction devices that demand low out-of-band reflection. Apodized and triple GBBRs are demonstrated, and transparency is always considered, requiring designs with carefully engineered material combinations. A GBBR with a reflection of 99% is demonstrated, as well as a triple GBBR that has over 80% reflection for 100?nm of the spectrum around 800?nm. We also analyze potential deviations in a baseline GBBR from that of a perfect DBR using transmission electron microscopy to analyze imperfections in the material and modeling to analyze the impact of imperfect refractive index data for lattice-mismatched AlGaInAs. Minimal crosshatch roughness and unintentional thickness variation occur throughout the buffer, which likely influences reflection slightly. Small deviations between the calculated AlGaInAs and utilized AlGaAs refractive index exist, giving methods for future GBBR improvement. While the GBBR designs are intended for metamorphic solar cells, the broad and high reflection may also be useful for other optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes or lasers.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗

A Radiative Transfer Model for Patchy Landscapes Based on Stochastic Radiative Transfer Theory

The availability of global high-resolution land cover maps provides promising a priori knowledge for characterizing subpixel heterogeneity and improving predictions of directional reflectance of coarse-resolution pixels. Due to mutual shadowing and sheltering effects between the adjacent forest and cropland patches, the spectral nonlinear mixing of patchy ecotones is significant, especially when the sun illuminates the ecotone from the forest side with high solar zenith angle. The spectral linear mixture (SLM) approach leads to overestimation of the bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) in the red band in the principal plane (PP), with a maximum absolute error (MAE) of 0.0063 and a maximum relative error (MRE) of 52.5%, and to underestimation in the near-infrared band in PP with an MAE of 0.0940 and an MRE of 14.5%. In a scenario with randomly distributed boundary orientations, the overestimation of SLM increases with the degree of fragmentation and the view zenith angle. We propose a Radiative Transfer model for patchy ECotones (RTEC). which improves R² from 0.61 to 0.94 in the red band of Landsat-8 directional reflectance at the validation site. The RTEC model provides an efficient and analytical approach for directional reflectance predictions over heterogeneous patchy landscapes at coarse resolution and will be used for biophysical parameter retrievals [e.g., the leaf area index (LAI)] in future applications.

Zeng, Yelu↗

Physical Characterization of Interstellar Comet 2I/2019 Q4 (Borisov)

We present a study of interstellar comet 2I/2019 Q4 (Borisov) using both preperihelion and postperihelion observations spanning late September 2019 through late January 2020. The intrinsic brightness of the comet was observed to continuously decline throughout the timespan, likely due to the decreasing effective scattering cross-section as a result of volatile sublimation with a slope of −0.43 ± 0.02 km{sup 2} d{sup −1}. We witnessed no significant change in the slightly reddish color of the comet, with mean values of 〈g−r〉=0.68±0.04, 〈r−i〉=0.23±0.03, and the normalized reflectivity gradient across the g and i bands (S{sup ′})-bar (g,i)=(10.6±1.4)% per 10{sup 3} Å, all unremarkable in the context of solar system comets. Using the available astrometric observations, we confidently detect the nongravitational acceleration of the comet following a shallow heliocentric distance dependence of r{sub H}{sup −1±1}. Accordingly, we estimate that the nucleus is most likely ≲0.4 km in radius, and that a fraction of ≳0.2% of the total mass of the nucleus has been eroded due to the sublimation activity since the earliest observation of the comet in 2018 December by the time of perihelion. Our morphology simulation suggests that the dust ejection speed increased from ∼4 m s{sup −1} in 2019 September to ∼7 m s{sup −1} around perihelion for the optically dominant dust grains with β∼0.01, and that the observable dust grains are no smaller than micron size.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

3D Bacterial flagella as both synthetic biotemplates and ultrathin spacers for enhanced inter-particle coupling and solar energy harvesting

Linear light-absorbing nanomaterials are ideal for film-based solar harvesting applications as they form porous structures that can maximize the absorption and minimize the reflection of the solar light. Conventional 1D nanochains of plasmonic nanoparticle assemblies can achieve significantly broadened optical absorption through surface plasmon coupling, but their optical bands are still not broad enough to absorb through the solar spectrum and thus are not efficient solar absorbers. Here we discovered first by simulation that 3D structured nanochains of plasmonic nanoparticles presented a remarkably increased optical broadening effect and much longer redshift of the optical peaks due to the enhanced inter-particle coupling effect. Then we fabricated 3D nanochains by assembling gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) around 14 nm ultrathin bionanofibers, the bacterial flagella. Additionally, the ultrathin biotemplates enabled the 3D arrangement of 50 nm AuNPs along the nanofiber with a very small inter-particle gap, allowing the strong coupling of surface plasmons in a 3D manner. Consistent with the theoretical prediction, the 3D nanochains, when assembled into films, could effectively convert nearly the full spectrum of solar energy into heat, which was further efficiently converted into electricity through a thermoelectric generation unit. Our work represents a nanobiomaterial approach to highly efficient solar thermal power generation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Measuring Photoexcited Electron and Hole Dynamics in ZnTe and Modeling Excited State Core-Valence Effects in Transient Extreme Ultraviolet Reflection Spectroscopy

Transient extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectroscopy is becoming a valuable tool for characterizing solar energy materials because it can separate photoexcited electron and hole dynamics with element specificity. We use surface-sensitive femtosecond XUV reflection spectroscopy to separately measure photoexcited electron, hole, and band gap dynamics of ZnTe, a promising photocathode for CO 2 reduction. We develop an ab initio theoretical framework based on density functional theory and the Bethe-Salpeter equation to robustly assign the complex transient XUV spectra to the material's electronic states. Applying this framework, we identify the relaxation pathways and quantify their time scales in photoexcited ZnTe, including subpicosecond hot electron and hole thermalization, surface carrier diffusion, ultrafast band gap renormalization, and evidence of acoustic phonon oscillations.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Origin of Broad-Band Emission and Impact of Structural Dimensionality in Tin-Alloyed Ruddlesden–Popper Hybrid Lead Iodide Perovskites

Hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites have shown promising results as active layers in light-emitting diodes, typically utilizing the near-monochromatic, free exciton emission. Some perovskite compounds, however, show broad-band emission that is more intense than the free exciton counterpart. In this study, we show that the light emission properties of Ruddlesden-Popper hybrid perovskites PEA 2 MA n-1 Pb n I 3n+1 (PEA = phenethylammonium, MA = methylammonium) can be tuned by Sn alloying and are highly sensitive to Sn %. With increasing dimensionality, the broad-band emission quantum yield decreases drastically, from 23% in n = 1 to <1% for the n = 3 compound. Using density functional theory calculations and transient reflectance spectroscopy, the broad emission is identified as originating from self-trapped excitons. A dynamic picture of the formation process is also presented, for which ultrafast (<5 ps) hole-trapping at the Sn site is the first step, followed by electron localization from Coulombic interaction. These findings are particularly valuable for designing perovskite materials with intense room-temperature broad-band emission for solid-state lighting applications.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Solar position confounds the relationship between ecosystem function and vegetation indices derived from solar and photosynthetically active radiation fluxes

Vegetation indices derived from solar and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) sensors (i.e. radiation derived) have been under-utilized in inferring ecosystem function, despite measurement capability at hundreds of sites. This under-utilization may be attributed to reported mismatches among the seasonality of radiation- and satellite-derived vegetation indices and canopy photosynthesis; herein referred to as measurement biases. In this work, biases in radiation derived reflectance and vegetation indices were assessed using a decadal record of satellite and ground based spectroradiometer data, ecosystem phenology and CO 2 fluxes, and radiation derived vegetation indices (i.e. the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index [NDVI], the two band Enhanced Vegetation Index [EVI2]) from a high latitude tundra site (i.e. Imnaviat). At Imnaviat, we found poor correspondence between the three types of reflectance and vegetation indices, especially during the latter part of the growing season. Radiation derived vegetation indices resulted in incorrect estimates of phenological timing of up to a month and poor relationships with canopy photosynthesis (i.e. Gross Ecosystem Exchange (GEE)). These mismatches were attributed to solar position (i.e. solar zenith and azimuth angle) and a method, based on the diel visible and near-infrared albedo variation, was developed to improve the performance of the vegetation indices. The ability of radiation derived vegetation indices to infer GEE and phenological dates drastically improved once radiation derived vegetation indices were corrected for solar position associated biases at Imnaviat. Moreover, radiation derived vegetation indices became better aligned with MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite estimates after solar position associated biases were corrected at Imnaviat and at 25 Fluxnet sites (~90 site years) across North America. Corrections developed here provide a way forward in understanding daily ecosystem function or filling large gaps in eddy covariance data at a significant number of Fluxnet sites.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Solar power system using hybrid trough and photovoltaic two-stage light concentration

A solar power method is provided using two-stage light concentration to drive concentrating photovoltaic conversion in conjunction with thermal collection. The method concentrates light rays received in a plurality of transverse planes towards a primary linear focus in an axial plane, which is orthogonal to the transverse planes. T band wavelengths of light are transmitted to the primary linear focus. R band wavelengths of light are reflected towards a secondary linear focus in the axial plane, which is parallel to the primary linear focus. The light received at the primary linear focus is translated into thermal energy. The light received at the secondary linear focus is focused by optical elements along a plurality of tertiary linear foci, which are orthogonal to the axial plane. The focused light in each tertiary primary focus is focused into a plurality of receiving areas, and translated into electrical energy.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Epitaxial Thin Films of a Chalcogenide Perovskite

Chalcogenide perovskites have emerged as a new class of optoelectronic materials, especially for photovoltaic applications, but fundamental properties and applications of chalcogenide perovskites remain limited due to the lack of high-quality thin films. In this paper, we report direct epitaxial thin film growth of BaZrS 3 , a prototypical chalcogenide, by pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction studies show that the films are strongly textured out-of-plane and have a clear in-plane epitaxial relationship with the substrate. Electron microscopy studies confirm the presence of epitaxy for the first few layers of the film at the interface, even though away from the interface, the films are polycrystalline with many extended defects, suggesting the potential for further improvement in growth. X-ray reflectivity and atomic force microscopy show smooth film surfaces and interfaces between the substrate and the film. The films show strong light absorption near the band edge and photoluminescence in the visible region, validating BaZrS 3 as a suitable candidate for ultrathin front absorbers in tandem solar cells. The photodetector devices show fast and efficient photo response with the highest ON/OFF ratio reported for BaZrS 3 films thus far. Our study opens up opportunities to use high quality thin films of chalcogenide perovskites to probe fundamental physical phenomena in thin films and heterostructures and also in photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Inverted Metamorphic AlGaInAs/GaInAs Tandem Thermophotovoltaic Cell Designed for Thermal Energy Grid Storage Application

We demonstrate an inverted metamorphic multijunction (IMM) photovoltaic cell comprising lattice-mismatched 1.2 eV AlGaInAs and 1.0 eV GaInAs junctions optimized for high-temperature thermophotovoltaic (TPV) applications. This device differs from traditional IMM solar cells because the mismatched junctions are grown at a single lattice constant. This architecture enables removal of the compositionally graded buffer that otherwise filters light from the junctions below and absorbs sub-bandgap light via free-carrier absorption. Sub-bandgap absorption dramatically reduces the efficiency of TPV systems using high reflectivity cells to enable band edge spectrum filtering. Three components required development to enable this device: (1) a lattice-mismatched 1.2 eV AlGaInAs junction, (2) a metamorphic contact layer grown after the graded buffer, and (3) a transparent tunnel junction that sits in front of the 1.0 eV GaInAs junction. Growth conditions that minimize oxygen defect incorporation maximize AlGaInAs cell quality, enabling a 0.41 V bandgap open circuit voltage offset at 22 mA/cm2 under AM1.5D. A mismatched GaInAs:Se layer is developed as a low resistance contact. Lastly, we develop a GaAsSb:C/GaInP:Se tunnel junction suitable for high-power densities with more transparency than the GaAsSb:C/GaInAs:Se structure used in past IMM cells. We characterize the tandem device under a high-intensity spectrum that approximates the emission from a 2150°C blackbody radiator and deduce a projected ideal TPV efficiency of 39.9% at ~30% of the blackbody irradiance and 36% ideal TPV efficiency under the full 118 W/cm2 irradiance. Improvements to the back-surface reflectivity and series resistance are expected to increase the ideal TPV efficiency well above 40%.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Understanding the Effect of Lead Iodide Excess on the Performance of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Solar Cells

The presence of unreacted lead iodide in organic-inorganic lead halide perovskite solar cells is widely correlated with an increase in power conversion efficiency. We investigate the mechanism for this increase by identifying the role of surfaces and interfaces present between methylammonium lead iodide perovskite films and excess lead iodide. We show how type I and II band alignments arising under different conditions result in either passivation of surface defects or hole injection. Through first-principles simulations of solid-solid interfaces, we find that lead iodide captures holes from methylammonium lead iodide and modulates the formation of defects in the perovskite, affecting recombination. Using surface-sensitive optical spectroscopy techniques, such as transient reflectance and time-resolved photoluminescence, we show how excess lead iodide affects the diffusion and surface recombination velocity of charge carriers in methylammonium lead iodide films. Our coupled experimental and theoretical results elucidate the role of excess lead iodide in perovskite solar cells.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Operando Microscopy Characterization of Perovskite Solar Cells

In this work, we developed operando Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) to study the electrostatic potential distribution across perovskite cells under light and forward bias to gain a deeper understanding of device operation physics. As a case study, we selected perovskite cells with a SnO 2 -based electron-selective layer (ESL), which showed great potential for fabricating high-efficiency, hysteresis-free devices due to the deeper conduction band and higher electron mobility of SnO 2 . The as-made device showed a main junction at the perovskite/spiro interface. After light soaking and applying forward bias, the junction quality improved, possibly explained by filling trap states at the interfaces and by the perovskite absorber perhaps having a self-poling effect; the main junction is observed at the ESL/perovskite interface. The results are consistent with current-voltage measurements, device performance improves mainly with fill factor enhancement. The operando KPFM results should more closely reflect the real case during current density-voltage measurements or solar cell operation. The operando KPFM technique that we have developed can be a powerful tool to provide a deeper understanding of the device operation mechanism and to further optimize the device.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

A dehydrated space-weathered skin cloaking the hydrated interior of Ryugu

Abstract Without a protective atmosphere, space-exposed surfaces of airless Solar System bodies gradually experience an alteration in composition, structure and optical properties through a collective process called space weathering. The return of samples from near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu by Hayabusa2 provides the first opportunity for laboratory study of space-weathering signatures on the most abundant type of inner solar system body: a C-type asteroid, composed of materials largely unchanged since the formation of the Solar System. Weathered Ryugu grains show areas of surface amorphization and partial melting of phyllosilicates, in which reduction from Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ and dehydration developed. Space weathering probably contributed to dehydration by dehydroxylation of Ryugu surface phyllosilicates that had already lost interlayer water molecules and to weakening of the 2.7 µm hydroxyl (–OH) band in reflectance spectra. For C-type asteroids in general, this indicates that a weak 2.7 µm band can signify space-weathering-induced surface dehydration, rather than bulk volatile loss.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

High-resolution Spectral Discriminants of Ocean Loss for M-dwarf Terrestrial Exoplanets

In the near future, extremely large ground-based telescopes may conduct some of the first searches for life beyond the solar system. High spectral resolution observations of reflected light from nearby exoplanetary atmospheres could be used to search for the biosignature oxygen. However, while Earth’s abundant O{sub 2} is photosynthetic, early ocean loss may also produce high atmospheric O{sub 2} via water vapor photolysis and subsequent hydrogen escape. To explore how to use spectra to discriminate between these two oxygen sources, we generate high-resolution line-by-line synthetic spectra of both a habitable Earth-like and post-ocean-loss Proxima Centauri b. We examine the strength and profile of four bands of O{sub 2} from 0.63 to 1.27 μm, and quantify their relative detectability. We find that 10 bar O{sub 2} post-ocean-loss atmospheres have strong suppression of oxygen bands, and especially the 1.27 μum band. This suppression is due to additional strong, broad O{sub 2}–O{sub 2} collisionally induced absorption (CIA) generated in these more massive O{sub 2} atmospheres, which is not present for the smaller amounts of oxygen generated by photosynthesis. Consequently, any detection of the 1.27 μm band in reflected light indicates lower Earth-like O{sub 2} levels, which suggests a likely photosynthetic origin. However, the 0.69 μm O{sub 2} band is relatively unaffected by O{sub 2}–O{sub 2} CIA, and the presence of an ocean-loss high-O{sub 2} atmosphere could be inferred via detection of a strong 0.69 μm O{sub 2} band, and a weaker or undetected 1.27 μm band. These results provide a strategy for observing and interpreting O{sub 2} in exoplanet atmospheres, that could be considered by future ground-based telescopes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Hot-carrier dynamics in InAs/AlAsSb multiple-quantum wells

A type-II InAs/AlAs 0.16 Sb 0.84 multiple-quantum well sample is investigated for the photoexcited carrier dynamics as a function of excitation photon energy and lattice temperature. Time-resolved measurements are performed using a near-infrared pump pulse, with photon energies near to and above the band gap, probed with a terahertz probe pulse. The transient terahertz absorption is characterized by a multi-rise, multi-decay function that captures long-lived decay times and a metastable state for an excess-photon energy of >100 meV. For sufficient excess-photon energy, excitation of the metastable state is followed by a transition to the long-lived states. Excitation dependence of the long-lived states map onto a nearly-direct band gap (E g ) density of states with an Urbach tail below E g . As temperature increases, the long-lived decay times increase < E g , due to the increased phonon interaction of the unintentional defect states, and by phonon stabilization of the hot carriers > E g . Additionally, Auger (and/or trap-assisted Auger) scattering above the onset of the plateau may also contribute to longer hot-carrier lifetimes. Meanwhile, the initial decay component shows strong dependence on excitation energy and temperature, reflecting the complicated initial transfer of energy between valence-band and defect states, indicating methods to further prolong hot carriers for technological applications.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Role of Alkali-Metal Cations in Electronic Structure and Halide Segregation of Hybrid Perovskites

The ability to control or prevent phase segregation in perovskites is crucial to realizing stable and tunable mixed-halide optoelectronic devices. Here, we systematically examine the impact of alkali-metal-cation (Cs + and K + ) concentration on the band structure, chemical composition, phase segregation, and polycrystalline microstructure on formamidinium-dominated mixed-halide mixed-cation perovskite films. It was found that the incorporation of Cs + and K + cations decreases the work function and the core levels of all components shift toward higher binding energy consistent with n-doping the perovskite film, which facilitates electron transfer to the electron transport layer TiO 2 . A concentration-dependent film structure was observed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering where the halides and cations are distributed evenly across perovskite films at low metallic cation concentration (5%). A high metal-cation ratio (20%) leads to halide segregation within the perovskite film and the surface becomes bromide-poor, whereas the bromide and metal cations diffuse more deeply within the film. These differences in electronic properties, element distribution, and film morphology were reflected in the device performance where the power conversion efficiency of low-metallic-cation concentration (5% of Cs + and K + ) perovskite solar cells is ≈5% higher than the high-concentration ones (20%). This study provides valuable chemical and physical insight into the underlying trade-offs in the careful tuning of electrical properties and film structure to optimize multication and mixed-halide hybrid perovskites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗