Systematic Analyses of the Ideal Selective Spectrum and the Practical Design Strategies for the Solar Thermophotovoltaic System

Chen, Yuanlin; Zhang, Zhiwei; Li, Yulian; Chen, Qiulong; An, Bowen; Jiao, Jiajia

doi:10.3390/photonics13010027

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Open AccessArticle

Systematic Analyses of the Ideal Selective Spectrum and the Practical Design Strategies for the Solar Thermophotovoltaic System

by

Yuanlin Chen

¹,

Zhiwei Zhang

²,

Yulian Li

^1,*

,

Qiulong Chen

¹,

Bowen An

¹ and

Jiajia Jiao

¹

College of Information Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China

²

Shanghai Power Industrial and Commercial Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200122, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Photonics 2026, 13(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13010027 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 4 December 2025 / Revised: 23 December 2025 / Accepted: 26 December 2025 / Published: 29 December 2025

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Abstract

Solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) systems can break the Shockley–Queisser (SQ) limit through selective absorbers and emitters, whose ideal emissivity is crucial as a design target. In this paper, we systematically analyze the ideal selective spectrum and solve the conflict between energy and efficiency in photothermal conversion efficiency by modifying the corresponding equation. The ideal emissivity of the absorber is one in [

E_{c}

, ∞] and zero out of this range. For actual design, if spectra deviation cannot be avoided,

E_{c}

is preferable to redshifting. The ideal emissivity of the emitter is one in

[E_{g}, E_{\max}]

and the decrease in

E_{\min}

should be suppressed relative to

E_{\max}

. Besides, the optimal bandwidth of the emitter is about 0.08 eV for different photovoltaic cells and working conditions, which gives a rough and valuable guide in practical design. The analytical progress and design strategies will give a reference and direction for the future design of STPV.

Keywords: solar thermophotovoltaic systems; ideal selective spectrum; practical design strategies; modifying the equation of photothermal conversion efficiency

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MDPI and ACS Style

Chen, Y.; Zhang, Z.; Li, Y.; Chen, Q.; An, B.; Jiao, J. Systematic Analyses of the Ideal Selective Spectrum and the Practical Design Strategies for the Solar Thermophotovoltaic System. Photonics 2026, 13, 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13010027

AMA Style

Chen Y, Zhang Z, Li Y, Chen Q, An B, Jiao J. Systematic Analyses of the Ideal Selective Spectrum and the Practical Design Strategies for the Solar Thermophotovoltaic System. Photonics. 2026; 13(1):27. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13010027

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chen, Yuanlin, Zhiwei Zhang, Yulian Li, Qiulong Chen, Bowen An, and Jiajia Jiao. 2026. "Systematic Analyses of the Ideal Selective Spectrum and the Practical Design Strategies for the Solar Thermophotovoltaic System" Photonics 13, no. 1: 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13010027

APA Style

Chen, Y., Zhang, Z., Li, Y., Chen, Q., An, B., & Jiao, J. (2026). Systematic Analyses of the Ideal Selective Spectrum and the Practical Design Strategies for the Solar Thermophotovoltaic System. Photonics, 13(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13010027

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Systematic Analyses of the Ideal Selective Spectrum and the Practical Design Strategies for the Solar Thermophotovoltaic System

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