Tohoku University Exchange
CE-CERT Doctoral Researcher Joins Solar Materials Lab in Japan
Electrical Engineering Graduate Student Researcher Miroslav Penchev from the laboratory of Professor Mihrimah Ozkan at UCR’s Bourns College of Engineering is the latest beneficiary of the SC-RISE collaboration with Tohoku University in Sendai City, Japan.
Penchev is working in the laboratory of Professor Tadahiro Ohmi, a leading authority on silicon thin film applications for solar energy. Today, solar energy researchers are looking for ways to decrease the manufacturing cost of solar collectors, while at the same time looking for materials that can turn more sunlight into available energy.
Ozkan and Ohmi are both working on making inexpensive silicon thin film solar cells that can capture upwards of 20 percent of the sun’s energy. Penchev is assisting Professor Ohmi’s lab on his new fabrication technology for the production of high efficiency multi-junction microcrystalline/amorphous silicon thin film solar cells.
The research relationship with Tohoku University has been developing for several years resulting, in part, in the establishment of SC-RISE. Alfredo A. Martinez-Morales, SC-RISE managing director, also worked in Professor Ohmi's lab under the cooperative agreement.