Current Research Photovoltaics

Nanostructured Hybrid Photovoltaics

Using device-scale intuition with atomic-scale knowledge, it is possible to design new materials that directly address issues with organic semiconductors used for solar energy generation. Combining transition metal phosphates, highly ordered organic semiconductors become possible to create for highly efficient bulk heterojunction devices

Oscillating Band Gap

In literature there is a large range of bandgaps reported for different types of materials. Exploring these resultes from a first-principles approach show that the issue could be due to high-frequency oscillation of bandedges within the material.

Metal/Dielectric Photonic Crystals

Interfaces design for generation and mobility of hot carriers for solar fuel generation

Nano-engineered metal dielectric photonic crystals (MDPhC) are promising structures for an ideal selective absorber/emitter (broadband and wide-angle solar energy absorption, high-temperature stability, and scalable fabrication). By utilizing their unique light-trapping properties in photo-catalytic reactions, drastically improved solar-to-fuel efficiency is expected to be achievable. A key component to this success would be the efficient generation and transport of hot electrons into catalytic layers of MDPhC devices.