High density energy conversion by spectral controlled surface plasmon established between nano-sized pillar-array structured surfaces

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H03184
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thermal engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hanamura Katsunori 東京工業大学, 工学院, 教授 (20172950)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 近接場ふく射輸送 / 波長制御 / 光起電力発電 / エネルギー変換

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the current study, it was clarified that spectrally-controlled enhancement of near-field radiation transfer through a hundred nanometer-scaled vacuum gap was achieved using a nanometer-sized pillar-array structured surface by a factor of about 100 compared with propagating (far-field) radiation transfer by blackbody surfaces through a numerical simulation. In addition, a spectrally-controlled absorption thermophotovoltaic cell made of a thin semiconductor layer sandwiched by a fishnet-type electrode and substrate electrode was manufactured successfully and would be applied for a photovoltaic generation of electricity by combining with the above emitter.

Free Research Field

熱工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ナノサイズのピラー構造表面放射体や、ナノサイズのグリッド状表面電極と薄膜半導体を組合わせた光電池により、発電に有効な波長のみを近接場光により輸送し、黒体面間の伝播光によるエネルギー輸送を大きく上回る発電システムの足掛かりが構築できた成果は意義深い。