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Tunable metamaterial absorber/emitter for high-efficiency concentrated photovoltaic-thermophotovoltaic systems

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Pengfei
  • Zhou, Yulong
  • Zhang, Kun
  • Yang, Jichong
  • Chang, Ke
  • Luo, Zixue
  • Cheng, Qiang

Abstract

Efficient design of absorber-emitter units is essential for advancing concentrated photovoltaic-thermophotovoltaic (CPV-TPV) systems. In this study, a unified nanoparticle structure that can be used as an absorber/emitter was proposed and optimized to achieve spectral selective absorption within the solar spectrum while enabling spectral selective emission matched to the bandgap of the cell. By leveraging plasmonic effects such as localized surface plasmon resonances and Fabry-Perot cavity resonance, the optimized absorber can obtain a high total absorptance of up to 0.95 within the solar spectrum and a low total emittance as low as 0.03 at 0.28–15 μm. Furthermore, this structure, as TPV emitter, can achieve a spectral emittance of 0.88 in the wavelength range of 0.70–2.30 μm, with figure of merits ranging from 0.59 at 1200 K to 0.51 at 1700 K. Fabricated via a scalable process, the absorber-emitter exhibited strong agreement with simulations and maintained stable spectral characteristics at 873 K in vacuum. Finally, by integrating the optimized absorber and emitter into the CPV-TPV system, a high system efficiency of 32.76% was achieved at a concentration ratio of 1000, which was only 2.14% lower than that of the system based on the ideal absorber and emitter. This study offers a promising way to develop high-performance, scalable absorber/emitter structures that can significantly enhance the full-spectrum solar energy conversion in CPV-TPV systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Pengfei & Zhou, Yulong & Zhang, Kun & Yang, Jichong & Chang, Ke & Luo, Zixue & Cheng, Qiang, 2026. "Tunable metamaterial absorber/emitter for high-efficiency concentrated photovoltaic-thermophotovoltaic systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 414(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:414:y:2026:i:c:s0306261926004861
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2026.127834
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