Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of GaSb-based Thermo-Photovoltaics
Speaker: Daniel Herrera
Host: MICS
Date: April 17 (Friday), 2015
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: Whittemore 654 (6th Floor Conference Room)
Abstract:
Thermo-photovoltaics (TPV) are semiconductor devices which convert radiant heat into electrical current, and have a variety of remote-power applications. The epitaxial growth of high-quality GaSb-based TPV structures poses challenges that prevent scaling the device up to the desired area of 10 mm x 10 mm, in the form of shunt defects which degrade the device's performance. In this study,these defects are characterized and suppressed through the use of various MBE reactors. Additionally, non-epitaxial TPVs are alternatively fabricated through an ion-implantation procedure. This seminar discusses the aforementioned challenges and the results of the newly-fabricated devices.
Bio:
Daniel Herrera received a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico in 2013. He is currently working towards a Ph.D degree in Electrical Engineering. His current research project with Dr. Lester is a continuation of research done at the Center for High Technology Materials at UNM, which consists of fabricating and characterizing GaSb-based TPVs. Additionally, he has done research in superparamagnetic nanoparticle synthesis, solution-processed thin-film transistors, thin-film optical coatings, and surface plasmon resonance-enhanced PV cells.
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