Output characteristics of InGaAs/InP heterojunction thermoradiative diodes

Abstract This study investigated the effect of external luminescence efficiency on the power generation characteristics of thermoradiative diodes (TRDs). The external luminescence efficiency was improved by converting a pn homojunction into a pn heterojunction. Fabricated In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As pn homojunction and In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As/InP pn heterojunction TRDs were suspended inside a shroud cooled to 70 K, and the TRD temperature was varied from approximately 300–410 K. The pn heterojunction with high external luminescence efficiency had a maximum power point of approximately 5 times that of the pn homojunction, and we successfully demonstrated a method for improving the TRD output. The obtained characteristics were analyzed using the proposed theoretical model.