The Electronic Properties of Metals and Semi-conductors in the Optical Region

Arni McKinley (ANU)

SOLAR SEMINAR SERIES

DATE: 2011-07-19
TIME: 15:00:00 - 16:00:00
LOCATION: Ian Ross Seminar Room
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ABSTRACT:
As radio frequency antennas shrink in size to be useful in the capture of visible light for solar cells, the metal with which they are constructed changes its electronic character. This occurs because the electrons no longer travel as far during one oscillation as they do at low frequencies. This changes the absorption, the reflectance, the skin depth, and the conductivity of the metal immensely. It may thus be necessary to try some other material such as a dielectric or a semi-conductor in place of metal.

BIO:
Arni McKinley is a PhD student in Kylie Catchpole's solar plasmonics group at the ANU. He is working on nano-antennas for solar cells.