Development of Low-Bandgap In(As)Sb Thermoradiative Cells for Space Applications

Thermoradiative cells, which convert heat into electricity, can be a promising source to power satellites and other spacecraft operating in deep space, where access to solar radiation is practically impossible. This kind of device, operating in reverse thermodynamic cycle compared to conventional photovoltaic device, requires low bandgap materials. Antimony (Sb) based IIIV semiconductors, whose bandgap can be as low as 0.17eV, are good choice of material for this purpose, since the bandgap is comparable to wavelength of thermal spectrum. However, the growth of Sb based semiconductors has its own challenges from growth perspective and scalability. In this work we show our plans and progress towards growth of In(As)Sb based material for application in thermoradiative cells.