We are excited to announce the release of a new RePowerSiC publication, result of the work of the researchers Manuel Peralta-Fuentes, Florencia Almonacid and Eduardo F. Fernandez from our partner the Universidad de Jaén, in particular from the Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Energía y Medio Ambiente (CEACTEMA).  

The paper, titled “Wide-Bandgap Materials for High-Intensity Wireless Laser Power Transmission in the Solar System”, presents the first systematic study of how wide-bandgap semiconductor materials can improve wireless laser power transmission for space exploration applications. The publication is issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the IEEE Photonics Technology Letters. 

The paper studies how wireless laser power transmission (WLPT) can be made more efficient for space exploration by using wide-bandgap semiconductor materials instead of traditional GaAs devices. WLPT works by sending power with a laser and converting it into electricity using a laser power converter. The authors combine a basic photovoltaic efficiency model with data on how laser light passes through the atmospheres of planets and moons in the Solar System. Based on this, they evaluate which celestial bodies are suitable for WLPT and which laser wavelengths and materials work best. 

The results show that SiC and InGaN materials perform much better than GaAs, especially at high laser intensities. Very high efficiencies (over 75%) are possible on bodies with little or no atmosphere, such as the Moon and Mercury, while moderate efficiencies (40–60%) are achievable on Earth, Mars, and Titan. Venus is more challenging due to its dense atmosphere, but InGaN may still work in a narrow wavelength range. Overall, this theoretical analysis shows that wide-bandgap materials make WLPT more practical and promising for future space missions. 

 For more information click here.