A prototype microthermophotovoltaic power generator

A prototype microthermophotovoltaic (micro-TPV) power generator is described in this letter. The system is made of a SiC (silicon carbide) emitter, a simple nine-layer dielectric filter, and a GaSb (gallium antimony) photovoltaic cell array. In a microcombustor of 0.113 cm3 in volume, when the flow rate of hydrogen is 4.20 g/h, the micro-TPV system is able to deliver an electrical power output of 1.02 W, corresponding to an open-circuit electrical voltage of 2.28 V and a short-circuit current of 0.59 A. The prototype of the micro-TPV system will make it possible for us to substitute batteries with micropower generators in micromechanical devices in the near future. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.