Line 46: Line 46:
'''Film growth/fabrication processes'''  
'''Film growth/fabrication processes'''  
*e-beam deposition- ''Federick system EB 12''
*e-beam deposition- ''Federick system EB 12''
*Thermal evaporation-''Denton Vacuum E502''
*Sputter deposition- ''Kurt J. Lesker Co (R301/MC2),Kurt J. Lesker Co utility sputter(ATX-600/RFX-600), Perkin-Elmer 2400 series''
*Sputter deposition- ''Kurt J. Lesker Co (R301/MC2),Kurt J. Lesker Co utility sputter(ATX-600/RFX-600), Perkin-Elmer 2400 series''
*PECVD cluster tool deposition for a-Si:H. - ''MVSystems.Inc''
*PECVD cluster tool deposition for a-Si:H. - ''MVSystems.Inc''
Line 56: Line 57:
*Ellipsometry characterization:- ''M2000 FI-ESM-200AXY SE, M2000 DI SE, VU-302 VUV VASE, VB-250 VASE, IR VASE''
*Ellipsometry characterization:- ''M2000 FI-ESM-200AXY SE, M2000 DI SE, VU-302 VUV VASE, VB-250 VASE, IR VASE''
*Film morphology and compositional analysis:- ''JEOL 6400 SEM, Hitachi S4700 FE-SEM, FB2000 FIB, XRD''
*Film morphology and compositional analysis:- ''JEOL 6400 SEM, Hitachi S4700 FE-SEM, FB2000 FIB, XRD''
'''Solar PV devices characterization'''
*QE measurements-''QEX10 PV Measurements, Inc"
*I-V measurements-''Solar Simulator''
===Current Projects===
===Current Projects===
*Optimization of Silver (Ag) nano-particles
*Optimization of Silver (Ag) nano-particles

Revision as of 14:11, 31 July 2015

Jephias Gwamuri
Jephias Gwamuri is a PhD student in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering

Bio

I am a doctoral student in the Material Science and Engineering at Michigan Tech. My Ph.D. research is aimed at exploiting plasmonics and photonics to design and fabricate plasmonic - metamaterial based solar cells. The project aims to explore the extent to which it possible to manage solar radiation efficiently using plasmonic metamaterial perfect absorbers integrated in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H)-based solar photovoltaic devices. This knowledge will contribute to increasing the efficiency and lowering the cost of production of solar cells. The project also include aspects of Solar PV devices fabrication, designing of open source ellipsometer and four point probe stations as well as off-grid and grid connected PV system designing and optimization.

I have been a member of Professor Joshua Pearce's Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology [MOST] Research Group since August 2012. My specialties include thin film characterization using Variable Angle Spectroscopy Ellipsometry (WVASE32 and completeEASY), Four Point Probe (4PP)systems, Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM/SEM)and Profilometer techniques. My current skills also include thin film growth techniques using PECVD, PVD ( e-beam evaporation and sputter deposition systems), semiconductor/micro-fabrication processing and clean room techniques.

I am currently working on mastering other fabrication and characterization techniques such as 3D printing, Focused Ion Beam (FIB), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy, TEM.

Research

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Research Interests:

  • Solar PV Conversion Efficiency,
  • Plasmonics & Metamaterials in Photovoltaics,
  • Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCO (ITO, ZnO, AZO))growth techniques & characterization
  • PV Systems Design and Optimization
  • 3D Printing, Open Source Hardware and Appropriate Technology
  • Snow effect on PV systems project, http://www.mtukrc.org/weather.htm
  • 3D Printing of Solar Cell
  • Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency
  • System engineering and integration

Research Activities, Tools used & Skills

Film growth/fabrication processes

  • e-beam deposition- Federick system EB 12
  • Thermal evaporation-Denton Vacuum E502
  • Sputter deposition- Kurt J. Lesker Co (R301/MC2),Kurt J. Lesker Co utility sputter(ATX-600/RFX-600), Perkin-Elmer 2400 series
  • PECVD cluster tool deposition for a-Si:H. - MVSystems.Inc
  • Self-assembling Silver(Ag)nano-particles
  • PV systems data monitoring and analysis

Thin film characterization

  • 4 Point Probe measurements:- Lucas Lab Pro 4, MTU open-source 4-Point Probe system
  • Thickness measurements:- Veeco Dektak 150 profilometer,Ellipsometry
  • Ellipsometry characterization:- M2000 FI-ESM-200AXY SE, M2000 DI SE, VU-302 VUV VASE, VB-250 VASE, IR VASE
  • Film morphology and compositional analysis:- JEOL 6400 SEM, Hitachi S4700 FE-SEM, FB2000 FIB, XRD

Solar PV devices characterization

  • QE measurements-QEX10 PV Measurements, Inc"
  • I-V measurements-Solar Simulator

Current Projects

  • Optimization of Silver (Ag) nano-particles
  • Characterization of a-Si:H cells (QE and I_V).
  • Ag nanoparticles integration on a-Si:H cells and device characterization.
  • 3D-Printer workshop.
  • Snow effect on PV systems study

Target Journals in My Sub-field

Publications

Book Chapters

Journal articles

Articles Under Review

  • A New Method of Preparing Highly Conductive Ultra-Thin Indium Tin Oxide for Plasmonic-Enhanced Thin Film Solar Photovoltaic Devices (Under review)
  • Impact of Snow and Ground Interference on Solar Photovoltaic Electric System Performance (Under review)

Conference Proceedings

Other articles

Additional pages to manage:

Image gallery

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