Henry Snaith FRS

Professor of Physics

Our research is primarily focused on developing the physics and technology behind low cost photovoltaic concepts. The materials we use include carbon-based organic semiconductors, solution processable ceramics and inorganic semiconductors which have emerged over the last decade as promising alternatives to expensive inorganic semiconductor technologies. One advantage of this new material family is that they can be processed easily from solution, e.g. using spin-coating, doctor-blade coating and higher speed methods such a Gravure Printing. As a result, devices such as solar cells, light-emitting displays, and transistors should be manufacturable at very low cost.

The photovoltaic concepts we currently work on are Dye-Sesitized Solar Cells, semiconducting polymer / metal oxide photovoltaics and all polymer photovoltaic diodes. We are also actively developing organic and molecularly sensitized photodetectors and phototransistors and polymer/oxide light emitting diodes. We strive to both enhance absolute performance whilst also improving our understanding of the fundamental processes.

For more information, please see my research pages or send me an email.

Research area Materials and Devices Optical Physics

Research interests Organic semiconductors Photovoltaics

Department Physics

Matthew Fuchter

Professor of Chemistry

My research group focus is on functional molecules, chiral materials, and photoswitchable systems with applications across materials science, medicine and sustainable technologies

Gianluca Gregori

Professor of Physics

My research interests are: Laboratory Astrophysics; Fusion energy; Quantum plasmas; Fundamental physics with high-power lasers

Chao He

Associate Professor of Engineering Science

My research interests include polarisation optics, biomedical microscopy and vectorial imaging

Laura Herz

Professor of Physics

My research is focused on investigating nanostructured molecular and inorganic semiconducting materials

Doug Higgs

Emeritus Professor, Consultant Physician

We use state-of-the-art laboratory and computational approaches to understand how mammalian genes are switched on and off during development and differentiation and how this goes awry in human genetic diseases.

Felix Hofmann

Professor of Engineering Science

I’m interested in the effect of defects on material properties, ranging from single atom defects, such as vacancies and interstitials, to extended defects, such as dislocations, to macroscopic defects, for example cracks and voids.