GeSn (0.524 eV) single-junction thermophotovoltaic cells based on the device transport model

Based on the transport equation of the semiconductor device model for 0.524 eV GeSn alloy and the experimental parameters of the material, the thermal–electricity conversion performance governed by a GeSn diode has been systematically studied in its normal and inverted structures. For the normal p + /n (n + /p) structure, it is demonstrated here that an optimal base doping N d(a) = 3 (7) × 10 18 cm −3 is observed, and the superior p + /n structure can achieve a higher performance. To reduce material consumption, an economical active layer can comprise a 100 nm–300 nm emitter and a 3 μm–6 μm base to attain comparable performance to that for the optimal configuration. Our results offer many useful guidelines for the fabrication of economical GeSn thermophotovoltaic devices.