Models of light on a nanoscale catwalk: entrapment for super-efficient solar cells
Dr Niraj Lal (Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, ANU)
SOLAR SEMINAR SERIESDATE: 2013-07-11
TIME: 16:00:00 - 17:00:00
LOCATION: Ian Ross Seminar Room
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ABSTRACT:
When light interacts with small objects it behaves differently than usual. In this solar seminar, Nij talks about how light works at the nanoscale and introduces the toolkit with which we can understand it; from Transfer Matrices for flat thin films, Rayliegh and Mie scattering for sunsets and stained glass, and the modelling of arbitrary nanostructures with Finite Difference, Rigorous Coupled Wave and Boundary-element methods. The approaches are reviewed with direct links to experimental results. Armed with this toolkit, Nij discusses the research of his ASI fellowship "Light trapping for tandem solar cells", introducing the motivation for tandems, and presenting current research on performance requirements to beat 25%. Finally, Nij presents experimental results from textured silicon nitride films - nanostructures for enhanced light-trapping at long-wavelengths for ABC cells and short-wavelengths for tandems, and introduces the design for a dielectric perfect metamaterial absorber.
BIO:
Dr Niraj Lal is an Australian Solar Institute Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems at the ANU. In 2012 Niraj graduated with a PhD in physics as a Gates Scholar from the University of Cambridge. Before doing his PhD, Nij worked as a bicycle courier in Perth and a science communicator across regional and remote WA with Scitech. In 2007, Nij graduated with a BSc in physics as the Angus Nicholson Honours Scholar in Science. Nij is passionate about science outreach - he has worked with the BBC Naked Scientists, presented at Questacon, the U3A and lots of high-schools, and will be appearing this weekend on Biodegradio, the 2XX Community Radio show about sustainability.
