Power-by-Light

R&D Services

Our R&D services comprise:

Epitaxy Development

Due to excellent material quality, our laser power converters achieve the highest efficiencies. The semiconductor material is optimally matched to the laser wavelength, and therefore thermalization losses are reduced to a minimum.

Photovoltaic Cell Development

We optimize cell designs for the various application needs and laser wavelengths. With advanced cell architectures we realize monolithic series-connected devices with higher output voltages.

Characterization of Laser Power Converters

At our laser-based measurement station, we investigate laser power converters under monochromatic light. We also measure the spectral response and quantum efficiency. Our spectrally and spatially resolved electroluminescence measurements provide us with information about the material properties and quality.

Automated Packaging

To assemble the laser power converters, we use our in-house industry-level packaging equipment. This equipment is also used for pilot and small series production.

System Integration

To reach our goal of an all-inclusive system integration, we consider the optical coupling, the thermal connection between the cell and package and the integration of the downstream electronics. Additionally we work on combining power and data transmission.

Reliability Investigations

Using degradation studies and accelerated aging tests, we investigate the reliability of components and assemblies, focusing on packaging.

 

 

Optical power transmission with Power-by-Light systems (also known as Power-over-Fiber) is an elegant method for powering sensors or actuators, when a conventional power supply with copper cables is limited or not available. The reasons for this are manifold, for example: the need for galvanic isolation, high voltage or lightning protection, electromagnetic interference, wireless transmission, weight reduction, spark protection, corrosion resistance, high magnet fields or rotating systems. There are a wide variety of applications for Power-by-Light systems such as structural health monitoring of wind turbines, fuel gauges in airplanes, monitoring of high voltage lines, optical power supply of automotive sensors, biosensors in smart implants, or the monitoring of passive optical networks.

At Fraunhofer ISE we develop special photovoltaic cells for Power-by-Light applications. These so-called laser power converters convert monochromatic light into electricity with highest efficiency. Currently our research focuses on developing materials for specific laser wavelengths, optimizing the cell structure for converting monochromatic light and developing advanced cell concepts for increasing the output voltage. Our other research topics consist of characterizing cells under monochromatic light, reliability investigations, as well as packaging and system integration. The latter also includes the combination of power and data transmission and coupling the systems to the electronics or electronic circuitry.

For a laser power converter based on GaAs, which was prepared by thin-film technology with a back-surface mirror, we achieved an opto-electric conversion efficiency of 68.9 %, measured with a laser wavelength of 858 nm at an irradiance of 11.4 W/cm².

 

 

On this topic from our research blog »Innovation4E«:

Photovoltaic Cells for Laser Light: Optical Power Transmission for Sensor Electronics

Blog post by Henning Helmers

Dr. Henning HelmersWhen one thinks of photovoltaic cells, then it is usually in connection with the conversion of solar radiation into electricity, a main research area at Fraunhofer ISE in line with the energy transformation. However, researchers at Fraunhofer ISE are also working on another application for photovoltaic (PV) cells: Power-by-Light systems (also known as Power-over-Fiber) in which optical power transfer is used to supply electricity to electronics. Energy transmission is carried out in the form of light, and the photovoltaic cell is not used as a “solar cell,” but rather to convert the transmitted laser light into electricity.

Read more on blog.innovation4e.de

Selected Research Projects

 

LightBridge

Electronic System for the Wireless Power Supply of a Subretinal Micro Implant

 

AIIR-Power

AI-assisted design and fabrication of photonic infrared power converters for energy and telecommunication

 

Press release - June 28, 2021

Record Efficiency of 68.9% for GaAs Thin Film Photovoltaic Cell Under Laser Light

At the 48th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE recently presented how they were able to achieve a record conversion efficiency of 68.9% with a photovoltaic cell under monochromatic laser light.

Flyer and Brochures

Flyer

PV-Cells for Optical Power Transmission

 

Current Publications - Power-by-Light:

Jahr
Year
Titel/Autor:in
Title/Author
Publikationstyp
Publication Type
2023 InP- and GaAs-Based Photonic Power Converters Under O-Band Laser Illumination: Performance Analysis and Comparison
Beattie, Meghan; Helmers, Henning; Forcade, Gavin; Valdivia, Christopher; Höhn, Oliver; Hinzer, Karin
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2022 Photonic Power Converters for Telecom Optical Wavelength Bands
Helmers, Henning
Vortrag
Presentation
2022 High-efficiency III-V Photovoltaic Cells for Photonic Power Conversion
Helmers, Henning
Vortrag
Presentation
2022 Pushing the Boundaries of Photovoltaic Light to Electricity Conversion with III-V Based Photonic Power Converters
Helmers, Henning
Poster
2022 Realization of Ultrathin GaAs Photonic Power Converters with Rear-Side Metal Grating on Full 4" Wafers
Höhn, Oliver; Schauerte, Meike; Schygulla, Patrick; Hauser, Hubert; Lackner, David; Bläsi, Benedikt; Helmers, Henning
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2021 4-Junction GaAs Based Thin Film Photonic Power Converter with Back Surface Reflector for Medical Applications
Schauerte, M.; Höhn, O.; Wierzkowski, T.; Keller, G.; Helmers, H.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2021 Current Mismatch and Luminescence Coupling in Three-junction Photonic Power Converters with and without Back Reflector
Lopez, E.; Höhn, O.; Schauerte, M.; Lackner, D.; Schachtner, M.; Reichmuth, S.K.; Helmers, H.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2021 Non-Uniform Illumination Impacts on O-Band InGaAsP and Metamorphic GaInAs Photonic Power Converters
Beattie, M.; Helmers, H.; Valdivia, C.E.; Lackner, D.; Höhn, O.; Hinzer, K.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2021 New Frontiers in III-V based Photonic Power Converters
Helmers, H.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2021 High Efficiency III-V Based Photovoltaic Cells for Laser Power Beaming and Solar Power Generation in Space
Helmers, H.
Vortrag
Presentation
2021 68.9% Efficient GaAs-Based Photonic Power Conversion Enabled by Photon Recycling and Optical Resonance
Helmers, H.; Lopez, E.; Höhn, O.; Lackner, D.; Schön, J.; Schauerte, M.; Schachtner, M.; Dimroth, F.; Bett, A.W.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2021 Pushing the Boundaries of Photovoltaic Light to Electricity Conversion: A GaAs Based Photonic Power Converter with 68.9% Efficiency
Helmers, H.; Lopez, E.; Höhn, O.; Lackner, D.; Schön, J.; Schauerte, M.; Schachtner, M.; Dimroth, F.; Bett, A.W.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2021 68.9% Efficient GaAs-Based Photonic Power Conversion Enabled by Photon Recycling and Optical Resonance. Cover Picture
Helmers, H.; Lopez, E.; Höhn, O.; Lackner, D.; Schön, J.; Schauerte, M.; Schachtner, M.; Dimroth, F.; Bett, A.W.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2020 Simultaneous Wireless Data and Power Transfer for a 1-Gb/s GaAs VCSEL and Photovoltaic Link
Fakidis, J.; Helmers, H.; Haas, H.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2020 6-W Optical Power Link with Integrated Optical Data Transmission
Helmers, H.; Armbruster, C.; Ravenstein, Moritz von; Derix, D.; Schöner, C.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2020 Power-by-Light or How to Reach an Efficiency of 68%?
Helmers, H.
Vortrag
Presentation
2019 Highly Efficient III-V Based Photovoltaic Laser Power Converters
Helmers, H.; Höhn, O.; Lackner, D.; Lopez, E.; Ruiz-Preciado, L.; Schauerte, M.; Siefer, G.; Dimroth, F.; Bett, A.W.
Vortrag
Presentation
2019 GaAs Multi-Junction Laser Power Converters at AZUR SPACE. Current Status and Development Activities
Keller, G.; Fuhrmann, D.; Wierzowski, T.; Volk, A.-K.; Fuhrmann, B.; Horst, L.; Wächter, C.; Schauerte, M.; Helmers, H.; Khorenko, V.
Vortrag
Presentation
2019 5 W Optical Power Link with Generic Voltage Output and Modulated Data Signal
Haid, M.; Armbruster, C.; Derix, D.; Schöner, C.; Helmers, H.
Vortrag
Presentation
2019 Comprehensive Electrical Loss Analysis of Monolithic Interconnected Multi-Segment Laser Power Converters
Kimovec, R.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Topic, M.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2018 Optische Leistungsversorgung für Sensorsysteme mittels photovoltaischer Laserleistungszellen
Helmers, H.
Vortrag
Presentation
2018 Transient Analysis of Luminescent Coupling Effects in Multi-junction Solar Cells
Tayagaki, T.; Reichmuth, S.K.; Helmers, H.; Siefer, G.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2018 Trends in Solar Electricity
Bett, A.W.
Vortrag
Presentation
2018 Power-by-Light - Optical Power Transmission Based on Photovoltaic Laser Power Converters
Helmers, H.
Vortrag
Presentation
2018 On the influence of the photo-induced leakage current in monolithically interconnected modules
Kimovec, R.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Topic, M.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2018 Power loss mechanisms in small area monolithic-interconnected photovoltaic modules
Kimovec, R.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Topic, M.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2018 0.5-Gb/s OFDM-Based Laser Data and Power Transfer Using a GaAs Photovoltaic Cell
Fakidis, J.; Videv, S.; Helmers, H.; Haas, H.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2017 On the alignment tolerance of photovoltaic laser power converters
Wagner, L.; Bett, A.W.; Helmers, H.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2017 On the temperature dependence of dual-junction laser power converters
Reichmuth, S.K.; Helmers, H.; Philipps, S.P.; Schachtner, M.; Siefer, G.; Bett, A.W.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2017 Power loss mechanisms in monolithic-interconnected six-segment laser power converter
Kimovec, R.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Topic, M.
Vortrag
Presentation
2017 Multi-segment photovoltaic laser power converters and their electrical losses
Kimovec, R.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Topic, M.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2017 Reliable and lightning-safe monitoring of wind turbine rotor blades using optically powered sensors
Worms, K.; Klamouris, C.; Wegh, F.; Meder, L.; Volkmer, D.; Philipps, S.P.; Reichmuth, S.K.; Helmers, H.; Kunadt, A.; Vourvoulakis, J.; Bett, A.W.; Koos, C.; Freude, W.; Leuthold, J.; Stork, W.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2016 Optical power supply of smart sensors using photovoltaic laser power converters
Helmers, H.
Vortrag
Presentation
2016 Determining the optimal laser wavelength for laser power conversion depending on operation temperature
Höhn, O.; Walker, A.W.; Bett, A.W.; Helmers, H.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2016 Optimal laser wavelength for efficient laser power converter operation over temperature
Höhn, O.; Walker, A.W.; Bett, A.W.; Helmers, H.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2016 Influence of injection current and temperature on electroluminescence of GaAs laser power converters
Kimovec, R.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Topic, M.
Vortrag
Presentation
2016 Integrated Power and Data Transceiver Devices for Power-by-Light Systems - A Concept Study
Helmers, H.; Lackner, D.; Siefer, G.; Oliva, E.; Dimroth, F.; Bett, A.W.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2016 Transient I-V Measurement Set-up for Photovoltaic Laser Power Converters under Monochromatic Irradiance
Reichmuth, S.K.; Helmers, H.; Garza, C.E.; Vahle, D.; Boer, M. de; Stevens, L.; Mundus, M.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Siefer, G.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2016 Photovoltaic laser power converters for wireless optical power supply of sensor systems
Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
2016 Spatial and spectral electroluminescence for single-junction single-segment GaAs laser power converter characterization
Kimovec, R.; Helmers, H.; Bett, A.W.; Topic, M.
Vortrag
Presentation
2009 Optically powered fibre networks
Freude, W.; Röger, M.; Hiba, B.; Hoh, M.; Dreschmann, M.; Hehmann, J.; Pfeiffer, T.; Huebner, M.; Bett, A.; Becker, J.; Leuthold, J.
Vortrag
Presentation
2009 High-voltage GaAs photovoltaic laser power converters
Schubert, J.; Oliva, E.; Dimroth, F.; Guter, W.; Löckenhoff, R.; Bett, A.W.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Journal Article
2006 Optically powered video camera network
Böttger, G.; Hübner, M.; Dreschmann, M.; Klamouris, C.; Paulsson, K.; Kueng, T.; Bett, A.W.; Becker, J.; Freude, W.; Leuthold, J.
Konferenzbeitrag
Conference Paper
Diese Liste ist ein Auszug aus der Publikationsplattform Fraunhofer-Publica

This list has been generated from the publication platform Fraunhofer-Publica