Jephias Gwamuri (PhD) Department of Materials Science & Engineering

I obtained my PhD in Material Science and Engineering from Michigan Tech. My Ph.D. research was aimed at exploiting plasmonics and photonics to design and fabricate plasmonic - metamaterial based solar cells. The project aimed to explore the extent to which it is 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 included 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), Atomic Force Microscopy 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, clean room techniques and 3D printing.

Research[edit | edit source]

Research Interests[edit | edit source]

  • 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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

Target Journals in My Sub-field[edit | edit source]

Publications[edit | edit source]

Book Chapters[edit | edit source]

Dissertation[edit | edit source]

  • INCREASING SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENCY IN HYDROGENATED AMORPHOUS SILICON PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES WITH PLASMONIC PERFECT META – ABSORBERS.

http://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/etdr/170/

Journal articles[edit | edit source]

Articles Under Review/Accepted/In-print[edit | edit source]

  • Ambient-dependent Agglomeration and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Response of Self-Assemble Silver Nano-particles for Plasmonic Photovoltaic Devices. J. Phot. Energy

Conference Proceedings[edit | edit source]

Other articles[edit | edit source]

Slides and Vedeos[edit | edit source]

http://audioslides.elsevier.com//ViewerSmall.aspx?source=1&doi=10.1016/j.solmat.2016.01.028">

Additional pages to manage[edit | edit source]

Image gallery[edit | edit source]

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