Inorganic Quantum-confined structures in addressing challenges of the next generation photovoltaics

Over the past decade research in photovoltaics has mainly focused on reducing the cost of solar electricity by developing cheap yet often inefficient (~10%) thin film devices. Recent technical developments, together with the growing regulatory-incentive-driven penetration of solar cells into the energy market, are bringing down the cost of solar electricity to the point where the balance of system cost becomes dominant.

In recent years, it has become clear that the only pathway to further decrease the cost of photovoltaic systems per unit of power is to increase the light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of solar cells towards it's ultimate limit. To this end various high efficiency options based on low dimensional heterostructures (dots, wire wells) have been suggested. Within this context the presentation will review key developments and current challenges and opportunities in inorganic quantum-confined solar cells.

 

Biography:
Dr. Alexandre (Alex) Freundlich is a Research Professor of Physics with a joint appointment in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Houston. He is the founder and the leader of the Photovoltaics and Nanostructures Laboratories at the Center for Advanced Materials.  He has over twenty years of experience in the development of thin film semiconductors and high efficiency solar cells. Prior to joining in fall of 1994 the faculty at the University of Houston, Prof. Freundlich was a senior permanent member of the Corps of Researchers at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). Prof. Freundlich serves and has served on select Federal and International expert review panels and committees. He holds 6 US patents and has authored/co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications in the area of thin film photovoltaic materials and devices and servers on the editorial board of "Recents Patents in nanotechnology" and "Recent Patents in Electrical Engineering".
During his career at CNRS and University of Houston Alex has advised/trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers some of whom have grown to become leading experts in academia and the private sector.

Alex is affiliated with the American Association for Advancement in Science (AAAS), the American Physical Society (APS), The Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and the Material Research Society (MRS).