Staff
There is a long standing activity in photovoltaics which includes both materials and systems research. This work - which links the Engineering Materials and Energy Technology research groups.
Research is carried out on structure-performance relationships in organic electronic devices fabricated using high performance novel organic materials. The understanding of the characteristics of thin film formation of the researched materials is leading to better control of different deposition methods for organic electronic devices, and, ultimately, to superior electric transport characteristics for the fabricated devices.
There is research expertise in design and development of thin film electronic materials using cost-effective physical vapour deposition means for their exploitation in advanced engineering devices.
Current research comprises multidisciplinary projects including:
- Fluorescent collectors/photonics/light harvesting
- Fundamental studies, theory & modelling of solar cells
- Stand alone & grid connect systems/microgrids
The group operates the STaR Photovoltaic Facility (originally part funded by the Department for Trade & Industry) and provides an input to new guidelines on grid-connection of PV generators.
Collaboration
The group collaborates extensively with colleagues in Electronics and Computer Science on the Supergen PV21 programme (funded by EPSRC, 6 other UK university partners). External organisations involved with our research projects include:
- Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health (Seattle)/World Health Organisation EEV
- International Energy Agency Trinity House Lighthouse Service
- CMP Batteries
- RAL (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)
- UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology)
- Loughborough and Warwick Universities
- The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change
- CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research, Toulouse)
- IMEL (Institute of Microelectronics, Athens)
- Fraunhofer IIS (Institute for Integrated Circuits, Germany)
- IMETEM (National Instute of Technology and Methodology for Microelectronics, Italy)
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Cambridge University
- ISE AG (Integrated Systems Engineering, Switzerland)
Our research strengths
Structural materials performance
Nano and micro-electromechanical systems