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APMS Colloquium

Thursday, February 27th, 3:45-4:45 pm, SHB 502

Prof. Stephen M. Goodnick (ASU)

Advanced Concept Photovoltaic Devices

Abstract: Nanostructured solar cells have multiple approaches by which they can improve photovoltaic performance through new physical approaches in order to reach thermodynamic limits of energy conversion, circumventing material limitations through bandgap engineered systems and providing new routes for low-cost fabrication by self-assembly or design of new materials. Here we focus on pathways to high efficiency solar cells and energy conversion using the various approaches employing nanostructured materials. We first discuss the limits of conventional photovoltaics, and advanced concept approaches to exceed the so-called Shockley-Queisser limit for single bandgap cells. We then discuss particular approaches that are being investigated including Si tandem solar cells, nanowire solar cells, and multi-exciton generation. Hot carrier solar cells are another approach to high efficiency, where phononic bandgap materials are being investigated to reduce energy loss. In particular, we discuss modeling and simulation efforts as part of the QESST Engineering Research Center on photovoltaics, with a focus on the role of ultrafast carrier/phonon dynamics in advanced concept systems.

Bio: Prof. Goodnick is currently the David and Darleen Ferry Professor of Electrical Engineering at Arizona State University. He received his Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, and was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow in physics with the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and the University of Modena, Italy, from 1985 to 1986. He served as Chair and Professor of Electrical Engineering with Arizona State University, Tempe, from 1996 to 2005. He served as Associate Vice President for Research for Arizona State University from 2006-2008, and presently serves as Deputy Director of ASU Lightworks. He recently was a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow with the Institute for Advanced Studies at the Technical University of Munich (2013-2018). Professionally, he served as President (2012-2013) of the IEEE Nanotechnology Council, and served as President of IEEE Eta Kappa Nu Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society Board of Governors, 2011-2012. Some of his main research contributions include analysis of surface roughness at the Si/SiO₂ interface, Monte Carlo simulation of ultrafast carrier relaxation in quantum confined systems, global modeling of high frequency and energy conversion devices, full-band simulation of semiconductor devices, transport in nanostructures, and fabrication and characterization of nanoscale semiconductor devices. He is a Fellow of IEEE for contributions to carrier transport fundamentals and semiconductor devices.

Open to All Interested!!

Cookies and coffee will be served.

Sponsored by: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science (APMS) & Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications (¡MIRA!)

For more information please contact Judene Mclane at Judene.Mclane@nau.edu