Photo-voltaic Cells & Energy

The group is interested in developing new approaches to the design and use of photovoltaic cells based on both conventional crystalline and organic semiconductors.

III-V Semiconductors.

We are currently investigating the use of ternary and quaternary photovoltaic cells based on InP lattice matched structures to manufacture ThermoPhotoVoltaic (TPV) cells which convert heat from black bodies in the temperature range 1500 - 3000K directly into electricity using the sample principle as a solar photovoltaic cell. The project is sponsored by both EPSRC and DTI and involves a close collaboration with two companies (Centre for Integrated Photonics, Ipswich and Wafer Technology, Milton Keynes) who manufacture the substrates and grow the epitaxial layers for structures designed in Oxford.

Carbon nanotubes and organic Semiconductors

We are interested in developing new optical properties and behaviour for photo-voltaic and photo-sensing applications using carbon nanotubes and polymer semiconductors