High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Power Converters and Application to Optical Power Transmission

Optical Power Converters (OPCs) based on Broadcom's multi-junction photovoltaic design enable high-efficiency optical-to-electrical conversion for applications at various wavelengths and output powers. This paper reviews how the output powers have been extended from < 1W to tens of Watts, and how the spectral range options cover the 800-830nm range, as well as other key laser diode wavelengths such as 960-990nm and 1500-1600nm.