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Research Programs in the United States

This list will be updated on an ongoing basis. Those highlighted in grey are not accepting new CINEMA fellows.

 
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Stanford University
University of Colorado Boulder
 
 
CINEMA Areas of Research
 
1. Interfaces
2. Coherence effects, order, and defects in materials
3. Advanced characterization (multi-modes)
4. Scalability and processing of materials
5. Chemical processes-dependent on nano- and meso-scale dimensions
6. Integration of length scales in materials
7. Interaction of quantum dots with semiconductor materials
8. Thermal transport
9. Hybrid nano-materials
10. Optoelectronic properties
11. Nanoscale self-assembly and fabrication
12. Theory and simulation of phenomena
13. Materials and devices for solar energy conversion
14. Materials and devices for thermal energy conversion
15. Materials and devices for electrical energy storage
16. Materials and devices for solar fuel production and utilization

Colorado School of Mines | back to top

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Reuben T. Collins
Reuben T. Collins
Physics Department
Website
General Next Generation Photovoltaics, Fabrication and properties of quantum confined nanostructures, Novel light emitting materials and devices, Silicon compatible optoelectronics and plasmonics
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Hot carrier charge dynamics in amorphous/silicon nanoparticle hybrids for use in next generation photovoltaics, Development of amorphous and crystalline Si(Se,S)2 absorbers for silicon-based multijunction solar cells, Amorphous/nanoparticle hybrids for solar water splitting, Tuning metal oxide work function through self assembled monolayers to optimize the open circuit voltage of organic solar cells, The effect of complexity on the properties of mesoscopic assemblies of nanostructures.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman
Metallurgical Engineering
Website
Atomic scale characterization of inorganic photovoltaics and ceramics
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Atom Probe analysis of semiconductor nanoparticles and / or doping in CdTe photovoltaic.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Andrew M. Herring
Andrew M. Herring
Chem. & Biological Eng.
Website
Electrochemical Energy Conversion
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Photo-electrochemical water splitting. Novel catalysis for direct fueled fuel cells.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Carolyn A. Koh
Carolyn A. Koh
Chem. & Biological Eng.
Website
Renewable nano-materials for gas storage and photovoltaics from experiment, theory, and computer simulation
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis and multi-scale characterization of group IV clathrate materials for gas storage and photovoltaic applications, Molecular-level simulations of the mechanisms for nucleation and growth of novel group IV clathrate materials, and electronic structure calculations for their photovoltaic applications.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Mark T. Lusk
Mark T. Lusk
Physics Department
Website
Computational quantum transport through nanostructured assemblies
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Quantum transport through quantum dot assemblies, Multiple-exciton generation in silicon nanowires, Combined molecular dynamics, electronic structure investigation of quantum transport in high performance organic crystals.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
C. Mark Maupin
C. Mark Maupin
Chem. & Biological Eng.
Website
Renewable nano-materials for gas storage and photovoltaics from experiment, theory, and computer simulation
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis and multi-scale characterization of group IV clathrate materials for gas storage and photovoltaic applications, Molecular-level simulations of the mechanisms for nucleation and growth of novel group IV clathrate materials, and electronic structure calculations for their photovoltaic applications.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Ryan O'Hayre
Ryan O'Hayre
Materials Science
Website
Materials for Energy, Fuel Cells, Catalysts, Electrochemistry, H2 production, Ion Conductors, Transparent Conductive Oxides
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Redox Oxide Catalysts for Solar Thermochemical H2 Production, Chemically-modified Nanocarbon Catalysts for Fuel Cells, Low-Cost, Intermediate-Temperature, Fuel-Flexible Protonic-Ceramic Fuel Cell.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Corinne Packard
Corinne Packard
Metallurgical Engineering
Website
Mechanical Behavior of Ceramics on the Micro & Nanoscale
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis and characterization efforts for producing rare earth orthophosphate ceramics that exhibit tunable phase transformation pressures by controlling the material chemistry and understanding the nanomechanical phenomena that drive transformation.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Alan Sellinger
Alan Sellinger
Chemistry & Geochemistry
Website
Synthesis of organic/polymeric/hybrid semiconductors for application in OLEDs, OPVs, OFETs, radiation scintillation. Electrode workfunction modification. Hybrid silicon quantum dots (SiQDs). Low band gap dyes for ternary OPVs, low reorganization energy absorbers and charge transporting
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis of organic/polymeric/hybrid semiconductors for application in OLEDs, OPVs, OFETs, radiation scintillation. Electrode workfunction modification. Hybrid silicon quantum dots (SiQDs). Low band gap dyes for ternary OPVs and low reorganization energy absorbers.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Vladan Stevanovic
Vladan Stevanovic
Department of Physics
Website
Computational Solid State Physics and Materials Science with application in Materials for Renewable Energy including photovoltaic, thermoelectric and materials to photo-electrochemical water splitting
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Development of computational methods targeted at discovering/designing functional metastable materials. Design of novel PV and thermoelectric materials. Modeling electronic structure at solid/liquid interfaces for photo-electrochemical hydrogen production.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Eric Toberer
Eric Toberer
Physics Department
Website
Photovoltaic and thermoelectric materials, with a focus on novel semiconductor development through a combination of experiment and theory
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis and electronic/optical characterization of novel semiconductors for thermoelectric and photovoltaic applications. Development of phase change materials for thermal energy storage for dispatchable renewable applications.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Kim Williams
Kim Williams
Chemistry
Website
Nanomaterials and macromolecular separations and characterization including silicon quantum dots for PV
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Develop methods to isolate carbohydrate and lipids produced by micro-algae, understand role of stress conditions and genetic manipulations on amount and type of biofuels feedstock; Fundamental interfacial studies of the effect of naturally occurring nano-additives (alumina and alumina silicates) on emulsion stability, droplet size distribution, and emulsion phase inversion in biofuels with a novel multiscale experimental approach.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Colin Wolden
Colin Wolden
Chem. & Biological Eng.
Website
Nanostructured Thin Films for Sustainable Energy Applications
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Atom Probe Tomography of CdTe Solar Cells (w/Brian Gorman), Interface Engineering of catalytic/anti-corrosion layers for photoelectrodes, Ion transport in asymmetric nanopores.

Colorado State University | back to top

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
R. Mark Bradley
R. Mark Bradley
Physics Department
Website
Theory of nanoscale self-assembly induced by ion bombardment of solid surfaces
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Development of models for nanoscale pattern formation induced by ion bombardment of solid surfaces. Numerical integration and/or analytical solution of the resulting equations of motion. Evaluation of proposed methods of reducing or eliminating defects from the patterns.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Carmen S. Menoni
Carmen S. Menoni
Elect. & Comp. Engineering
Website
Ion beam sputtering of dielectric films growth and their characterization
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Growth of amorphous dielectric films by ion beam sputtering, Characterization of interfaces, Study of intrinsic defects and their dynamic upon intense illumination.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
James R. Neilson
James R. Neilson
Chemistry
Website
Solid-state and materials chemistry
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis, discovery, and characterization of new strongly correlated electronic materials, magnets, and superconductors for energy applications. This could involve preparatory chemistry work, structural characterization, characterization of physical properties, and/or density functional theory calculations of the electronic structure and properties, as preferred by the visiting scientist.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Amy Lucia Prieto
Amy Lucia Prieto
Chemistry
Website
Synthesis of nanostructured materials for batteries, solar cells, and hydrogen storage
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: The development of new synthetic methods for nanostructured materials, as well as with training in electrochemistry.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
James Sites
James Sites
Physics Department
Website
Thin-Film Photovoltaics
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Jose de la Venta
Jose de la Venta
Physics Department
Website
Condensed Matter Physics, Materials Science, Magnetism
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Control of Magnetism in hybrid systems: fabrication and characterization of heterostructures (thin films) of ferromagnetic metals and materials which undergo a metal to insulator transition (V oxides, Ti oxides, Fe oxides and other). We are interested in studying the changes in the properties of ferromagnetic layers in proximity to the oxides undergoing the metal to insulator transitions.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology | back to top

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Tonio Buonassisi
Tonio Buonassisi
Photovoltaic Research Lab
Website
Solar energy, synchrotron research
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Streamlined manufacturing processes for solar cell materials, devices, modules, and systems, o Synchrotron-based investigations of solar cell materials (both silicon and thin films) and carrier-selective contact layers, using XAS, nano-XRF, nano-XRD, and more o Multijunction high-efficiency solar cells.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Ju Li
Ju Li
Nuclear Science Eng.
Website
Energy nanotechnology

 

* not accepting new CINEMA fellows
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Seth Lloyd
Seth Lloyd
Mechanical Engineering
Website
Quantum effects in energy transport
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: All of the above projects are suitable for postdoctoral fellows. Given a background in quantum mechanics, postdoctoral fellows can contribute to any or all of our quantum transport efforts.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Bradley Olsen
Bradley Olsen
Chemical Engineering
Website
Soft matter physics and polymer science
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Prospective CINEMA fellows with interests in soft materials self-assembly related to energy and nanotechnology applications or with interests in the development of new sustainable polymeric materials from biomass are encouraged to contact Prof. Olsen to discuss their research interests and potential synergy with ongoing research efforts in the group.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Michael Strano
Michael Strano
Chemical Engineering
Website
Chemical Engineering Nanotechnology
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: The study and application of thermopower waves to problems of energy generation, including fuel cells and portable power systems. Transparent near infrared photovoltaic cells from carbon nanomaterials. Transparent near infrared photovoltaic cells from carbon nanomaterials. Phase change materials from phase equilibria in nanoconfined systems. Molecular transport and separation through 2D membrane systems. Plant Nanobionics - generating non-native functions in living plants using functional nanoparticles and their assembly. Nanosensor arrays for measuring cellular efflux.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Brian Wardle
Brian L. Wardle
Aeronautics & Astronautics
Website
Materials and structures for Aerospace applications. More elaborately, research interests are in the areas of nano-engineered advanced composites, bulk nanostructured materials, carbon-based material synthesis, traditional composites, power-MEMS devices (fuel cells and vibrational energy harvesters), and other structure and materials topics.

 

* not accepting new CINEMA fellows
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: 1)Development of auto-sensing nanoengineered composites and NEMS - smart multi-functional composite that will enable self-health monitoring and self-actuating. 2) Development of structural supercapacitors that could enable energy storage within the main body. 3) Development of CNT- Ceramic matrix composites for electromagnetic applications.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory | back to top

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Kirstin Alberi
Kirstin Alberi
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Semiconductor epitaxy
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Potential projects range from the growth and development of metastable semiconductor alloys and III-V/II-VI heterostructures, scanning probe microscopy of novel semiconductors, and theoretical modeling of growth surfaces.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Chunmei Ban
Chunmei Ban
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Materials science and electrochemistry with the application in electrochemical energy storage
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: 1) Development of high-energy-density materials for electrochemical energy storage systems, including lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries and beyond Li-ion technologies. 2) Research on interfacial chemistry on electrode materials towards improving the stability and reversibility of energy materials.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Matthew C. Beard
Matthew C. Beard
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Quantum Dots for enhancing the solar energy conversion efficiency
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Carrier and exciton dynamics in novel semiconductor nanostructures and their assemblies, Transport phenomenon in coupled quantum dot films, QD Solar cell fabrication.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Joseph J. Berry
Joseph J. Berry
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Semiconductor material development, characterization and device integration with an emphasis on charge transport at heterostructures and interface
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Examination of contact strategies and novel device architectures for a range of cutting edge / next generation photoconversion materials (e.g. OPV, thin film III-V, QD or perovskite active-layers), examination of fundamental aspects of solution processing as it pertains to film formation.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Jeff Blackburn
Jeff Blackburn
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Nanocrystals for solar photoconversion, organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite absorbers
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: This project entails the production and characterization of novel thin-film photovoltaic devices based on single-walled carbon nanotube absorber layers. The project will require the preparation of SWCNT dispersions based on highly enriched semiconducting SWCNTs, deposition of PV devices based on bilayers with C60 and other device architectures, analysis of photovoltaic efficiencies for the prepared devices, and characterization of thin-film optical and electrical properties.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Andrew J. Ferguson
Andrew J. Ferguson
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Novel carbon-based materials, conversion phenomena and device architectures for solar photoconversion. Electrical and thermal transport in carbon-based semiconductor materials.
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: 1) We have recently developed a technique for measuring the in-plane electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as the Seebeck coefficient, in thin film materials. We are currently using this technique to probe the thermoelectric performance of neat films and nanocomposites of carbon-based materials, such as conjugated polymers, fullerene derivatives, and single-walled carbon nanotubes. We have a potential postdoctoral project that would involve the measurement of the thermoelectric performance of such materials, and which would exploit synthetic methods and chemical doping strategies to tune their electrical and thermal transport. Finally, we wish to explore incorporating the materials into nanocomposites, with a view to tuning the interface between the components to decouple the electrical and thermal transport to maximize the thermoelectric performance. 2) We have recently been working on developing novel chromophore combinations that exploit the photophysical phenomenon of sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation-assisted photon upconversion, which has the potential to improve the light harvesting in wide bandgap photovoltaic technologies, such as those based on organic semiconductors or amorphous silicon. We have a potential postdoctoral project that would involve optimizing the upconversion performance of some candidate chromophore combinations and developing architectures to effectively couple these optically to photovoltaic devices. Ultimately the project would aim to optimize the photoresponse of the solar cell due to the upconverted photons.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
David S. Ginley
David S. Ginley
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Nanomaterials for Solar Energy Conversion, Water Splitting, Thermoelectrics and Energy Storage
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Development of new high ZT thermoelectric materials for solar energy conversion and energy efficiency. Project will combine computational studies, materials synthesis and characterization at NREL and SLAC. New hybrid materials for water splitting. We have begun to develop a theoretic framework for water splitting and want to explore new predicted materials for water splitting and solar fuels. Transparent conductors; the conventional area of transparent conducting oxides is now expanding to multifunctional nanocomposites. We wish to understand this more completely as the offer enhanced functionality for solar energy conversion.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Stephan Lany
Stephan Lany
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Semiconductors and energy materials, electronic structure calculations, doping, defects and alloys, optoelectronic properties, materials by design
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Electronic structure of photovoltaic and thermoelectric materials, high-throughput calculations for band gaps and absorption spectra, defect and alloy studies .

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Joseph M. Luther
Joseph M. Luther
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Nanocrystals for solar photoconversion, organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite absorbers
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: QD solar cells for multiple exciton generation, QD-ink based CdTe solar cells, Tandem junction solution processed solar cells, perovskite solar cells, nanocrystals heterostructures for water splitting.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Angelo Mascarenhas
Angelo Mascarenhas
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Semiconductor physics
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Potential projects would include light scattering measurements on plasmons, and semiconductor heterostructure physics.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Nathan R. Neale
Nathan R. Neale
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Solar photochemistry; photoelectrochemistry; nanomaterials
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: New schemes for the wet chemical synthesis and surface passivation of group IV and III-V nanoparticles; interfacial studies of catalysts at semiconductor/electrolyte junctions; assembly of nanoparticles into electrically conductive films.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Garry Rumbles
Garry Rumbles
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Solar energy with a focus on the basic science of solar photoconversion processes and photoinduced electron transfer processes in polymer-based nanostructured interfaces
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Paul Stradins
Paul Stradins
Photovoltaics Research
Website
High efficiency silicon and tandem photovoltaics
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: 1. Advanced surface passivation development for Si solar cells based on nanoscale materials engineering; 2. Nanostructured passivated contacts development for record efficiency Si cells; 3. Tandem cell development with Si bottom cell: nanoscale interfacing of the top and bottom cells for >30% efficiency.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Adele Tamboli
Adele Tamboli
Photovoltaics Research
Website
Integration of III-V materials with Si and development of new PV materials
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Potential projects include working on our existing projects focusing on tandem solar cells as well as collaborative projects involving developing high efficiency c-Si solar cells, development of III-V multijunction solar cells, and exploring new polycrystalline thin film materials.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Glen Teeter
Glenn Teeter
Measurements & Character.
Website
Surface and interface studies of photovoltaic materials
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Surface and interface studies relevant to photovoltaic and other renewable-energy technologies; epitaxial growth studies of Cu2ZnSnS4 and related materials; fundamental and applied studies of native defects in CZTS and related materials.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Suhuai Wei
Suhuai Wei
 
Website
Solid State Theory and Computational Materials Science
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: First-principle theoretical study of •Optoelectronic properties of photovoltaic and light-emitting materials •Defect physics in semiconductors •Electronic structures and stabilities of alloys, superlattices, and interfaces •Novel properties in nano materials •Magnetic properties of semiconductors •Electronic properties of organic and hybrid semiconductors •Energy storage materials.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Andriy Zakutayev
Andriy Zakutayev
Photovoltaics Research
Website
Development of novel solar energy conversion materials and devices using high-throughput combinatorial approach
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: New absorbers for photovoltaics and photoelectrochemical water splitting, combinatorial and high-throughput experimental methods, sputtering, pulsed laser deposition of oxides/sulfides/nitrides, basic science of surfaces and interfaces, defects in semiconductors, transparent conductors, thermoelectrics, transistors, solar cells.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Kai Zhu
Kai Zhu
Chemical & Mat. Science
Website
Halide perovskite solar cell and related optoelectronic applications, material synthesis, charge transport and recombination, device modeling
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Our research on perovskite solar cells focuses on solution processing of perovskites, fabrication of planar and mesostructured perovskite cells, and fundamental studies of charge transport and recombination. Our objective is to understand material effects on the basic physical and chemical processes that are important to device operations. Examples of our recent publications include (1) J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2014, 5, 4175; (2) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 12241; (3) J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2014, 5, 490; (4) J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2013, 4, 2880.

Stanford University | back to top

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Sally Benson
Sally Benson
Energy Resources Eng.
Website
Micro and nano-scale characterization of fluid flow and transport in rocks
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Bruce Clemens
Bruce Clemens
Materials Science & Eng.
Website
Photovoltaics; Ion Beam Assisted Deposition; Transistor Gate Materials; Hydrogen Storage
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Yi Cui
Yi Cui
Materials Science & Eng.
Website
Advanced materials synthesis and fabrication; Energy storage; Photovoltaics; Topological insulators; Printable energy and electronic device; Nanobiotechnology; Nano-environmental technologies; Nanoscale tools
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Tom Jaramillo
Tom Jaramillo
Chemical Engineering
Website
Solar Fuels by Photoelectrochemistry: Direct Conversion of Sunlight to Fuels; Carbon Dioxide Conversion to Fuels by Electrocatalysis: Renewable Electrons to Hydrocarbon Fuels; Oxygen Electrocatalysis for Fuel Production and Consumption: Developing active Catalysts for Fuel Cells, Water Electrolysis, and Solar Fuels; Electro-Oxidation Catalysis: Fundamental Insights for Fuel Cell Technologies
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Paul McIntyre
Paul McIntyre
Materials Science & Eng.
Website
Structure and properties of interfaces between dissimilar materials (especially metal oxide/covalent semiconductor interfaces); Atomic layer deposition of ultrathin films and their applications; Crystal growth at the nanoscale.
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Jennifer Wilcox
Jennifer Wilcox
Energy Resources Eng.
Website
Hydrogen Production and Storage; Carbon Capture and Sequestration; Trace Metal Capture
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Please refer to Professor's website.

University of Colorado Boulder | back to top

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Niels Damrauer
Niels Damrauer
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Website
Development of tools and molecular systems to understand and control photochemical transformations
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis of new organic molecular systems for singlet fission and inorganic molecules for controlled electron transfer, energy transfer, and bond breaking; Development of advanced spectroscopic tools derived from ultrafast laser pulses for interrogating complex systems for light-to-energy conversion (quantum control and multidimensional spectroscopy); applications of theory (electronic structure and dynamics) to singlet fission.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Joel D. Eaves
Joel D. Eaves
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Website
Theory and computation
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Singlet fission calculations for molecular aggregates and crystals, interfacing model Hamiltonians to microscopic electronic structure. Electronic structure of functionalized graphene sheets for water desalination and dynamics of water passage through these sheets. Phase transitions in glassy and non-glassy active matter systems.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Gordana Dukovic
Gordana Dukovic
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Website
Synthesis and spectroscopy of nanoscale materials
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Postdocs could join one of the existing projects: Novel nanoscale semiconductors for solar fuel generation; Photophysics and photochemistry of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals; Integration of nanocrystals and redox catalysts for solar photochemistry.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Lawrence L. Kazmerski
Lawrence L. Kazmerski
 
Website
Emerging Reliability Issues for Photovoltaic Modules: Surface Soiling and Fundamental Photon Coupling
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: This research project focuses on special aspects of solar photovoltaics reliability that are only beginning to receive increased attention worldwide, that provide a foundation for state-of-the art R&D, and that have joint significance for Brasil and U.S. markets and climate conditions. The major objectives of this proposal are in three-interrelated areas important to the PV module surface: (1) Soiling Science and Technology (Creating and validating protocol test procedures, establishing joint test field in representative climate zones, and comprehensive dust/soiling chemical/physical analysis and characterization, fundamental evaluation of nanoscale adhesion forces/correlation with chemical/morphological characteristics). (2) Coatings and Films for Performance Maintenance and Enhancement (Anti-reflection and dust mitigation separate and dual-purpose coatings with emphasis on nanoscale designs and characterization). (3) Next-Generation Materials Science: Materials-by-Design (Design and realization of next generation coatings by revolutionary materials science)

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Garret M. Miyake
Garret M. Miyake
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Website
Polymeric materials
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Synthesis and fabrication of polymer based photonic crystals or conjugated polymers.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Sean Shaheen
Sean Shaheen
Electrical, Computer Engineering & Physics
Website
Organic and nanostructured photovoltaics
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Studies of exciton and charge transport in organic, Perovskite, or nanostructured solution-processed photovoltaic materials, both in experiment and simulation; Optimization and device engineering of solution-processed photovoltaics.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Ivan Smalyukh
Ivan Smalyukh
Physics Department
Website
Nanoscale and mesoscale self-assembly of renewable energy materials
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Focus on plastic and quantum-dot-based solar cells, liquid crystals, plasmonics, active colloids, photopolymerization, mesoscale self-assembly, upconversion nanoparticles, plasmon-exciton interactions, photobiology, and many other.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Bart Van Zeghbroeck
Bart Van Zeghbroeck
Electrical, Computer Eng.
Website
Semiconductor devices, Nanofabrication
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Growth and interface characterization of graphene grown on 4H and 6H silicon carbide, Optical characterization of graphene-silicon interfaces.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Wei Zhang
Wei Zhang
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Website
Dynamic covalent assembly, Organic functional materials, nanohybrid composites, self-healing materials, controlled synthesis/assembly of nanoparticles, carbon capture
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: Controlled assembly (non-covalent or covalent) of macrocycles or nanocages into 2D or 3D nanohybrid architectures and explore their potentials in molecular separation, catalysis, and sensing applications.

 

Name/Dept
General Area(s) of Research
CINEMA Energy Science Areas of Research
Alex Zunger
Alex Zunger
 
Website
Condensed Matter Theory of Real materials

 

* not accepting new CINEMA fellows
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Description of potential projects for CINEMA applicants: (1) Theoretical design of new topological insulator materials (2) Prediction of previously missing compounds with target functionality "Inverse Design" (3) Design of transparent conductors

 

This list will be updated on an ongoing basis.