Dan Lamb Email & Phone Number

Swansea, Gb

Bay Campus, Swansea University

I’m leading a research group focused on metalorganic chemical vapour deposition of thin films. Specialising in oxide and chalcogenide materials such as zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, cadmium telluride and cadmium and zinc sulphide.https://www.swansea.ac.uk/sparc-ii/oxide-chalcogenide-mocvd/My group has particular interest in cadmium telluride for photovoltaics and have been leading the exploration of this technology for space application. We were the first to receive cadmium telluride solar cell performance data from space, through the AlSat-Nano mission:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5AFwxnNxAU We have an AIXTRON CCS MOCVD tool, funded by the EPSRC, currently being hooked-up in our new laboratory, located with the Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials buildinghttps://www.cism-swansea-semiconductors.co.uk/ This new MOCVD tool will enable us to research materials such as gallium oxide and 2D transition metal dichalcogenides as well as continuing our cadmium telluride photovoltaic capability. I’m currently engaging with organisations to develop research collaborations based around the new MOCVD tool’s capabilities.

I was project manager and research task leader of an ERDF funded project, building research capacity in photovoltaics across 6 Research Centres from three Universities https://www.swansea.ac.uk/sparc-ii/. This culminated in project managing the development of a new MOCVD laboratory to be based in the CISM building on the Swansea Bay Campus https://www.cism-swansea-semiconductors.co.uk/. This new MOCVD facility will benefit from a state-of-the-art oxide and chalcogenide thin film deposition system and be supported by three existing thin film systems relocated from our current laboratory. Maintaining detailed project plans with clearly defined timescales and outputs enabled me to support the consortium in meeting the targets set out in the business plans. In parallel with the project management roles, I actively researched an innovative solar cell technology for use in Space. Collaborating with the University of Surrey, Qioptiq Space Technology Ltd and other leading space industries I’ve been developing a thin film solar cell that can satisfy emerging space application demands such as solar electric propulsion and space-based solar power. These applications will require a lightweight, flexible and low-cost electricity generation solution https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/05/11/cadmium-telluride-solar-cells-for-space-applications-bipv-unmanned-aircraft/. The first flight test of this technology has led to invaluable data and yielded high impact publications. I am currently looking for partners to build on the development of this technology through a flexible module flight test that demonstrates the low stowage volume, novel deployment and power generation.

During my time at Wrexham I developed a completely new type of solar module for powering satellites and spacecraft using a high power to weight and low cost thin film photovoltaic. This was achieved by combining the innovative CSER in-line MOCVD process with the ultra-thin micro-glass manufactured by a North Wales company Qioptiq Space Technology. The micro-glass used was a space qualified product, designed to withstand the hostile radiation environment in space and is used as a protective cover on solar panels used for powering satellites. The project established thin film PV devices on this micro-glass and with the assistance of the Surrey team carried out a series of radiation and mechanical tests to establish an ultra-light weight solar cell that would survive the hostile space environmentThe space PV project was selected to take part in the UK Space Agency’s next CubeSat mission. The AlSat Nano was a joint space mission between the UK Space Agency and Algerian Space Agency (ASAL). CSER’s successful selection, following a presentation to the UK Space Agency in Swindon by myself, gained a fantastic opportunity to “flight test” our innovative Thin Film Solar Cell (TFSC). The programme delivered the TFSC payload to the CubeSat manufactures by September 2015 and was then successfully launched into a low earth orbit September 2016.

At Bangor University I built up a background knowledge of thin film semiconductors. Working on applications such as transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) and p/n junctions through to ultra-hard coatings. Some of the thin film materials studied included zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, titanium nitride and zinc stannate; all deposited by the metal organic chemical vapour deposition technique (MOCVD). I also managing commercial projects and delivering custom designed thin film solutions from concept to demonstration coating.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Phd), Transparent Conducting Oxides

Batchelor Of Science Chemistry (2:1 Hons)