My research focuses on accelerating the development of low-carbon photovoltaics (PV). Polycrystalline thin-film solar cells offer exceptionally low embedded carbon footprints and short energy payback times, positioning them as a critical technology for achieving global net-zero targets. While more than 100 GW of thin-film PV is currently deployed worldwide - representing roughly 3% of total solar capacity—scaling to the terawatt level presents major scientific and engineering challenges.
Rapid, low-temperature manufacturing of polycrystalline semiconductors inherently introduces material defects. Rather than avoiding defects entirely, we mitigate their impact through advanced material and device architectures. My work centres on the development and application of advanced electro-optical characterisation techniques to identify, map, and mitigate recombination losses in solar cells. This work is conducted within CREST and in close collaboration with academic and industrial partners worldwide.
Prior to joining Loughborough University in 2026, I spent 16 years at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, USA) as a Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator leading PV characterisation efforts. I hold a Diploma in Physics from Vilnius University, a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Arizona State University, and completed postdoctoral training at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
My work spans a broad range of thin-film and emerging semiconductor devices, contributing to world-record cell efficiencies and uncovering fundamental performance bottlenecks. I have co-authored 200 peer-reviewed publications cited over 10,000 times (h-index > 50).
Current core research themes include
- Advanced Optical Characterisation Instrumentation: Developing a state-of-the-art instrument for comprehensive loss analysis in disordered semiconductor devices, integrating time-resolved microscopy to simultaneously probe charge-carrier lifetimes, diffusion lengths, and space-charge electric fields.
- Cadmium Telluride & Selenide Alloys: Resolving performance-limiting electronic disorder in Cd(Se,Te) absorber layers and device interfaces (Nat. Commun. 16, 8378, 2025).
- Tandem and Emerging PV: Developing wide-bandgap semiconductors for high-efficiency tandem solar cells (Adv. Mater. Technol. 11, e01967, 2026), space photovoltaics, and novel low-carbon semiconductor architectures.
I welcome enquiries from prospective students and collaborators interested in optoelectronic characterisation and semiconductor device physics. Please contact me directly to discuss potential research projects and funding opportunities.