Work presented on "Upconversion and Downconversion for Improved Photovoltaic Efficiencies."
Dr. Dan Congreve (holding the DDS Award) with Prof. Marc Baldo. Photo, MTL.
On May 13, 2015, Dan Congreve was given the honor of delivering the Spring 2015 MTL Doctoral Dissertation Seminar (DDS). Dr. Congreve is graduating this term with a PhD from Prof. Marc Baldo's group. At the DDS, he presented his work on "Upconversion and Downconversion for Improved Photovoltaic Efficiencies." In his talk, he detailed how unique processes in organic materials could be used to build upconverters and downconverters, devices that manipulate photonic energies with the goal of increasing solar energy capture. He demonstrated recent progress on both fronts using triplet fusion and singlet fission, respectively, and outlined the future steps necessary to make these systems cost-effective and competitive. When fully realized, these systems could increase the power conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells from 25% to over 35%. '
During his seminar, Dan thanked Marc Baldo for his guidance, his fellow graduate students for their hard work, and the Seminar Series committee for the opportunity to give the DDS.
--Microsystems Technology Laboratories, 5/22/2015