Carl Hägglund

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I obtained my PhD in Physics from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, within the area of plasmonic solar cells explored through mainly experimental methods. Following more theoretical work at Chalmers, I went on as a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University, where I looked into the fabrication and characterization of new high-absorbing plasmonic nanostructures. I am now a Senior Lecturer in the area of optics for solar cell materials at Uppsala University. My research centers on solar energy conversion that makes use of (metal) nanoparticles and other nanoscale designs. On the teaching side, I lead a PhD course on the Optical characterization of thin films and lecture on concentrator photovoltaics and concentrated solar power, among other things.

My research focuses on the use of nano-optics and nanotechnology in solar cells, for both relatively established thin film solar cells (CIGS, CZTS) and for new type of solar cells (tin sulfide, perovskites).

One project, funded by the Swedish research council, explores combinations of plasmonic nanostructures and semiconductor coatings produced by atomic layer deposition (ALD), in order to realize new and much more resource efficient solar cells with ultrathin (nanometer-thickness) absorption layers.

Another project, funded by the Energy agency, investigates the possibility to create better and cheaper tandem solar cells by means of nanotechnology.

Nanofabrication is an integral part of this work and mainly deploys scalable, self-assembly based methods such as block copolymer lithography. Optical characterization, especially spectroscopic ellipsometry, and numerical calculations by the finite element method, are other essential ingredients in the search for new, highly efficient and ultimately resource saving solutions for solar energy conversion to electricity.