Planning Grant: I/UCRC for Next Generation Photovoltaics

规划赠款的I/UCRC为下一代光电子学0856034科罗拉多州; W。S.该中心由德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校（UT-Austin）和科罗拉多州立大学（CSU）组成，计划专注于下一代光伏器件（PV）的开发。光伏技术面临的最大挑战是需要一种低成本、可扩展和可靠的制造方法，以生产效率为10 - 20%的太阳能电池，并适合在该领域使用20年。因此，拟议的中心将与工业合作伙伴一起开发新材料，前体和配方，用于制造高性能，低成本的PV。该中心的重点将是低成本的无机材料，纳米材料或混合材料的光伏制造解决方案。研究问题是复杂的，需要一个跨学科的研究人员团队（以及与工业界的合作）在这一领域取得进展。拟议中的中心的重点是确定一个解决方案，以减少光伏制造成本将意味着广泛采用太阳能电池技术在世界各地和立即减少对世界？对不可再生能源的依赖。行业的参与会提高学生的？教育经验，为有才华的工程师和科学家提供了一个管道，以行业。拟议中的中心的努力也将与UT-奥斯汀的一些关键教育项目相结合，例如纳米科学和纳米技术博士组合项目以及CSU的绿色技术重点。该中心计划有一个教师和学生谁是性别，种族和民族多样化的团队。

Planning Grant for an I/UCRC for Next Generation Photovoltaics 0856034 Colorado State; W. S. Sampath 0856029 University of Texas at Austin; Brian Korgel The proposed Center, comprised of University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin) as the lead institution and Colorado State University (CSU), plans to focus on the development of Next-Generation Photovoltaic Devices (PVs). The biggest challenge facing photovoltaic technologies is the need for a low-cost, scalable, and reliable manufacturing approach to produce solar cells with efficiencies of 10-20% that are suitable for use for 20 years in the field. Thus, the proposed Center will develop with industrial partners, new materials, precursors, and formulations for manufacturing high performance, low-cost PVs. The focus of this Center will be on low-cost inorganic materials, nanomaterials or hybrid materials solution to PV manufacturing. The research problem is complex and an interdisciplinary team of researchers is needed (as well as collaboration with industry) to make progress in this area. The proposed Center's focus on identifying a solution to decrease PV manufacturing costs would mean widespread adoption of solar cell technology worldwide and an immediate decrease on the world?s reliance on non-renewable energy resources. The industry participation will enhance the students? educational experience by providing a pipeline for talented engineers and scientist to industry. The efforts at the proposed Center will also be interfaced with some key educational programs at UT-Austin, such as the Doctoral Portfolio program in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and the green technology focus at CSU. The Center plans to have a team of faculty and students who are diverse in gender, race and ethnicity.