Energy Engineering seminars

Intermediate-band solar cells seek to absorb photons below the host band gap and increase current without sacrificing voltage. This talk examines submonolayer CdTe quantum dots embedded in ZnCdSe matched to InP, avoiding a harmful wetting layer and permitting hundreds of absorbing layers. Recent growth results show deeper photoluminescence associated with larger dots and improved intermediate-band placement. A complementary inverse-design study optimizes ZnCdSe/ZnCdMgSe distributed Bragg reflectors to recycle photons over 1–1.8 micrometres and incidence angles of 0–70 degrees. Total absorption guides optimization, with designs showing broad reflectivity and tolerance to fabrication errors.

Runaway electrons can severely damage plasma-facing components in current and future tokamaks. This webinar presents a research roadmap connecting runaway-electron models with plasma–surface interactions and material-damage calculations. It examines the physics, experiments, model integration and validation needed to predict electron loads and damage at reactor walls. The speakers assess current capabilities, gaps in modeling chains, and challenges for ITER and subsequent fusion devices.

Gang Chen delivers MIT.nano's annual Dresselhaus Lecture, drawing on research that spans electron and phonon transport, thermoelectric energy conversion, microelectronic thermal management, desalination and data-center cooling.

Reference electrodes combined with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy can separate overpotentials and degradation processes at individual electrodes. Their placement in solid-electrolyte cells is constrained by geometry and pressurized gases, while noise and perturbations can make impedance measurements difficult to interpret. This webinar introduces reference-electrode arrangements and applications, then examines a proton-exchange-membrane water-electrolysis setup. Experimental results illustrate measurement artifacts and a proposed filtering method for recovering interpretable impedance signals. The presentation is followed by questions and discussion.