Surface modes for near field thermophotovoltaics

Thermal radiative energy transfer between closely spaced surfaces has been analyzed in the past and shown not to obey the laws of classical radiation heat transfer owing to evanescent waves and, more recently, electromagnetic surface modes. We have analyzed the energy transfer between layered media, one of the layers being the thermal source, using a Green’s functions method and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. Based on the analysis, we propose a structure that can utilize the surface modes to increase the power density and efficiency of low temperature thermophotovoltaic generators.