Semitransparent thermophotovoltaic architecture

A thermophotovoltaic system, comprising:

• a photovoltaic cell having shape of a rectangular cuboid and comprised of multiple device layers forming a p-n junction, where the photovoltaic cell is configured to be transparent to infrared radiation;
• a heat sink thermally coupled to longitudinal ends of the photovoltaic cell;
• and
• two thermal emitters positioned on opposing sides of the photovoltaic cell, each thermal emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation such that a portion of the electromagnetic radiation passes through the photovoltaic cell.

A thermophotovoltaic system, comprising:

• an array of thermal emitters, each thermal emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in multiple directions;
• for each pair of adjacent thermal emitters in the array of thermal emitters, a divider is positioned between opposing surfaces of the adjacent thermal emitters, where the divider is transparent to infrared radiation;
• and
• for each divider, a photovoltaic cell is disposed on each surface of the divider that is facing a thermal emitter in the array of thermal emitters, where each photovoltaic cell is comprised of multiple device layers forming a p-n junction.