SUNLAB News
SUNLAB student wins Best Business Opportunity Award at Startup Garage Rally
Congratulations to MASc candidate in electrical engineering Robert (Kibby) Pollak, CEO of MyPitboard!, on being awarded the Best Business Opportunity Award at the Startup Garage Rally which took place on August 29, 2019. MyPitboard! is a new startup developed and created by current uOttawa Faculty of Engineering students. It is a newly developed racing performance and training application designed and built to enhance training of motorcycle athletes. A full article and video can be found here.
The SUNLAB goes to NUSOD
SUNLAB students and researchers attended the 19th International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices last July. Watch undergraduate summer student Adam Johnston's VLOG to learn more about their experience.
The SUNLAB goes to PVSC
SUNLAB students and researchers attended the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC 46) last June. Watch MSc candidate Erin Tonita's VLOG to learn more about their experience.
SUNLAB test site up and running again
The SUNLAB test site is now operational following its move to the University of Ottawa Lees campus. In May 2019, with the help of Morgan Solar engineers, SUNLAB students and researchers installed 2 Savanna trackers and 24 solar panels for a capacity of 7 kW. The test site will be expanded in 2020 for a total capacity of 20 kW.
SUNLAB student wins NUSOD 2019 poster award
Congratulations to MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis on winning the Best Poster Award at the 19th International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices for her work on the “Modelling of Bifacial Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells for Arctic Applications”. NUSOD 2019 was held in Ottawa, July 8 to 12, 2019.
SUNLAB students win Area 4 poster competition at PVSC 46
Congratulations to MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis and MSc physics candidate Erin Tonita on winning first place at the Area 4 poster competition of the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC 46) for their work on "Angular Dependence Of Bifacial Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells For High Latitudes". PVSC 46 was held in Chicago, IL, June 16 to 21, 2019.
SUNLAB at Photonics North
SUNLAB students presented results at last week's Photonics North conference in Québec City. PhD physics candidate Meghan Beattie, MASc electrical engineering candidate Annie Russell and MSc physics candidates Gavin Forcade and Erin Tonita gave oral or poster presentations on topics including bifacial solar cells, concentrator photovoltaic systems, energy yield modeling and photonic power conversion. Former SUNLAB member Dr. Ross Cheriton, now at the National Research Council, and uOttawa PhD candidate Kaustubh Vyas also presented a poster including research conducted at the SUNLAB.
Bottom row: Ross Cheriton and Karin Hinzer
SUNLAB students part of winning intramural hockey team
Congratulations to MSc physics candidates Gavin Forcade and Warren Gies, as well as MASc electrical engineering candidate Robert Pollak for winning the mixed intramural hockey tournament. Their team was one of four at the University of Ottawa's April tournament. They won the final game 3-2.
University of Ottawa winning team, 2019 mixed intramural hockey, included three SUNLAB students.
Come visit us at Photonics North and PVSC
Come visit SUNLAB students and researchers at Photonics North in Québec City, May 21-23, 2019, and the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference in Chicago, June 17-21, 2019.
On May 23, PhD physics candidate Meghan Beattie and MSc physics candidates Gavin Forcade and Erin Tonita will be presenting results in room 2104AB of the Québec City Convention Centre. Topics discussed will include bifacial solar cells, concentrator photovoltaic systems and photonic power conversion. Click here for the full conference program.
SUNLAB participants to the 46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference include senior researcher Dr. Chris Valdivia, who will be giving an oral presentation on segmented multi-junction solar cells on June 17, and MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis, who will be giving a poster presentation on bifacial solar cells on June 19. The full conference program can be found here.
SUNLAB director awarded University Research Chair
Congratulations to SUNLAB director Dr. Karin Hinzer on being awarded a University Research Chair in Photonic Devices for Energy. This is the most recent in a long line of awards for Dr. Hinzer, a professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Ottawa. The research funded with this University Research Chair will advance novel concepts in photonics and nanophotonics, driving new architectures and markets in energy, power and data communication
SUNLAB students awarded scholarships
Congratulations to SUNLAB students Mandy Lewis, Annie Russell, Kevin Shimotakahara, Viktar Tatsiankou and Erin Tonita on receiving scholarships for 2019-2020.
Both Annie Russell and Kevin Shimotakahara, MASc electrical engineering candidates at the SUNLAB, have been awarded a prestigious Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The program’s objective is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies.
PhD electrical engineering candidate Viktar Tatsiankou, MASc electrical engineering candidate Mandy Lewis and MSc physics candidate Erin Tonita have been awarded Ontario Graduate Scholarships. These awards are merit-based scholarships available to students in all disciplines of academic study. The Ontario Graduate Scholarships program is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and Ontario universities.
Recent graduations from SUNLAB
The SUNLAB sends congratulations Ross Cheriton for the successful thesis defense and completion of his postgraduate studies:Ross Cheriton, Ph.D., Phys., "Design and Characterization of InGaN/GaN Dot-in-Nanowire Heterostructures for High Efficiency Solar Cells", July 2018 This follows three other PhD students who successful defended their theses and completed their postgraduate studies in 2017:Matthew Wilkins, Ph.D., Elec. Eng., "Multi-Junction Solar Cells and Photovoltaic Power Converters: High-Efficiency Designs and Effects of Luminescent Coupling", May 2017Pratibha Sharma, Ph.D., Elec. Eng., "Modeling, Optimization, and Characterization of High Concentration Photovoltaic Systems Using Multijunction Solar Cells", March 2017Mark Yandt, Ph.D., Elec. Eng., "Characterization Techniques and Optimization Principles for Multi-Junction Solar Cells and Maximum Long Term Performance of CPV Systems", February 2017
Amanda Lewis, MSc candidate at SUNLAB, interviewed by On Your Wavelength blog on Nature.com
Following her award of a poster prize at Photonics North this year in Montréal, Amanda Lewis (MSc candidate studying bifacial solar power energy yield and photonic power devices at SUNLAB), was interviewed by the Nature.com blog entitled On Your Wavelength. The full interview can be found here.
NSERC CREATE TOP-SET Summer School a Success
Thank you to all the presenters and participants who made the first summer school of the NSERC CREATE TOP-SET project such a success! The three-day event over May 29-31, 2018, included speakers from across Canada (Université de Sherbrooke, McMaster University, University of Ottawa, Natural Resources Canada, National Research Council), the United States (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory/George Washington University), and industry (Morgan Solar, Azastra Opto/Broadcom, Spectrafy, iBIONICS, J. L. Richards). Check this website regularly for details regarding next year's summer school.
SUNLAB Students Awarded Scholarships
Congratulations to SUNLAB students Meghan Beattie, Sanmeet Chahal, Amanda Lewis and Viktar Tatsiankou on receiving scholarships for 2018-2019.Meghan Beattie, a doctoral student at the SUNLAB, has been awarded a scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postgraduate Scholarships-Doctoral Program. This program provide financial support to high calibre scholars who are engaged in a doctoral program in the natural sciences or engineering.Both Sanmeet Chahal and Amanda Lewis, master’s students at the SUNLAB, have been awarded scholarships from the NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s Program. The program’s objective is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies.Viktar Tatsiankou, a doctoral student at the SUNLAB, has been awarded an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. This award is a merit-based scholarship available to students in all disciplines of academic study. The OGS program is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and Ontario universities.
SUNLAB Student Wins Poster Competition at Photonics North Conference
Congratulations to Amanda Lewis, a master's student at the SUNLAB, on winning first place at the poster competition of the 20th Photonics North conference. Amanda's poster focused on bifacial solar panel energy yield in northern Canada. Photonics North was held in Montréal June 5 to 7, 2018.
SUNLAB Students Win PEO and IEEE Prizes
Congratulations to fourth year undergraduate students Rachel Belcher, Danielle Marchand, Isa Murray, Annie Russell and Mohammed Shanti who were awarded the Innovation & Creativity Award at the Professional Engineers of Ontario Ottawa Chapter 2018 Student Papers Night, held April 11, 2018 in Ottawa, and adjudicated by a panel of professional engineers. The team was also awarded 3rd place at the IEEE Eastern Ontario Paper Competition, held April 3, 2018 in Ottawa. The team’s presentation focused on a data transmission system to support retinal implant technologies. This fourth year project was a collaboration between iBIONICS and the SUNLAB.
SUNLAB Presents NSERC CREATE TOP-SET Website
We are pleased to announce the launch of the NSERC CREATE TOP-SET website. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program titled “Training in Optoelectronics for Power: from Science and Engineering to Technology” (NSERC CREATE TOP-SET) is a training program that aims to form a cohort of highly qualified personnel with comprehensive understanding of optoelectronics including high-efficiency photovoltaics and systems for solar cells, energy systems, communication and control systems for the power grid, as well as cost-modeling and business analysis. The program, led by associate professor Karin Hinzer from the University of Ottawa in collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke and McMaster University, provides students with regular seminars, advanced summer school classes, hands-on interdisciplinary activities at other partner universities, as well as internships at leading national and international academic, government and industry institutions.Browse our new website and direct any questions to sunlabadmin@uottawa.ca.
SUNLAB Presents an NSERC CREATE TOP-SET Seminar on Organic Solar Cells
Friday, December 15, 2017, 3:30 p.m.Refreshments to be served starting at 3 p.mAdvanced Research Complex, room 233University of Ottawa, 25 Templeton Street
Non-Fullerene Electron Accepting Materials in Organic Photovoltaics:Synthesis, Device Engineering and Lifetime AssessmentsTimothy P. Bender, University of Toronto
Abstract: For some time, our group has been focused on the design and synthesis of derivatives of boron subphthalocyanine (BsubPc). Our focal point is equally between the basic chemistry of BsubPcs and their application in organic electronics. We do focus on two specific device applications, organic photovoltaics (OPVs) solar cells and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).I will begin by presenting our efforts with regards to synthetic variants of BsubPcs and their application in planar heterojunction (PHJ) OPVs. I will then outline our very recent results where we took BsubPc based PHJ OPVs for real time roof testing. What we found was that when BsubPcs are applied as electron accepting materials they are remarkably stable and maintain 4-6% PCE over time. On the flipside, when applied as electron donating materials the stability of the paired material, C60, fullerene, dictates the overall stability of the devices. Moreover, we have used a novel method to map out the degradation pathway of the OPVs which will be described. We were able to ultimately form a structure property relationship to their stability in the ambient environment. These results and past data on the harvesting of triplet from pentacene via BsubPcs, has led us towards additional BsubPc derivatives with peripheral halogenation which will be outlined. In addition, we recently began the exploration of the bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) OPV space utilizing BsubPcs as an electron accepting fullerene alternatives.In parallel we have also been exploring the concept of complementary absorption engineering by either the chemical modification of BsubPcs or by pairing BsubPcs with alternative materials having complementary absorption profiles. For example, we have recently shown that after firming up the chemical structure of phosphorus oxy tetrabenzotriazacorrole [POTbc, a phthalocyanine analogue] that the pairing of a BsubPc with POTbc yields a unique gray organic photovoltaic cell absorbing broadly across the visible spectrum.We have also recently shown that structural analogs to BsubPcs, boron subnaphthalocyanines (BsubNcs) are actually a mixed alloy composition of chlorinated materials designated as Cl-ClnBsubNcs. After establishing the correlation of electrochemical characteristics and OPV performance for Cl-ClnBsubNc we have described how phenoxylated versions of ClnBsubNc are as well applicable in BHJ OPVs as electron accepting materials. Furthermore, we have explored the potential of chemistry variations to yield pure examples of BsubNcs. Time permitting this will be outlined along with electrochemical characterization and the exploration of alternative synthetic pathways to BsubNcs that do not yield mixed alloyed materials.The final topic that I will present is the exploration of additional p-block metal phthalocyanines (Pcs); we came to conclusion that silicon phthalocyanines (SiPcs) can also be applied as fullerene alternatives/acceptors in organic photovoltaic cells. Over the past year we have formed an initial structure property relationship that gives a road map to synthetic alternatives of SiPcs that have the potential to yield higher performing OPVs (in both PHJ and BHJ structures). Finally I will show how a SiPc is actually equivalent to the most studied fullerene (PC61BM) in many metrics including power conversion efficiency in OPVs.Bio: Since his appointment at the University of Toronto in 2006, Timothy P. Bender’s laboratory has focused on the design, synthesis and engineering of new materials for application in organic electronic devices including organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). His focus has been on two distinctly different classes of materials. The first is the development of the chemistry, crystal engineering and application of boron subphthalocyanines (BsubPcs) and related phthalocyanines (Pcs). The second is the design and application of soft or liquid triarylamines. Permeating through each research stream is an interest in developing and studying polymeric versions of each class of material. Professor Bender’s research contributions span from fundamental aspects of chemistry, to applied chemistry to physical chemistry and to the study of basic optoelectronic properties of organic electronic materials within organic electronic devices. Since 2006, he has published over 60 papers largely in peer reviewed high impact journals. He has active collaborations with a 
number of academic and industrial partners from the U.K. and the U.S. Professor Bender is a full professor cross-appointed to the Departments of Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto and in 2016 was appointed as Associate Chair of his department in charge of the accredited undergraduate Chemical Engineering program. His research program at the University of Toronto is in part an extension of his independent research carried out while being a member of the research staff of Xerox Research Centre of Canada (2000 – 2006). During that time he was issued 60 US patents and published 5 peer reviewed articles primarily in the field of organic electronic materials with a focus on OLEDs and organic photoreceptors – the heart of a modern xerographic print engine. His inventions include novel blue-wavelength photoresponsive materials and a sol-gel based hole-transporting material the latter of which was taken to commercial production an enabled the photoreceptor to be a so called ‘life of machine’ part.NSERC CREATE Training in Optoelectronics for Power:from Science and Engineering to Technology (TOP-SET) is a training program that aims to form a cohort of highly qualified personnel with comprehensive understanding of optoelectronic systems, capable of joining advanced R&D teams. For further details regarding TOP-SET, please contact Christine Couture, sunlabadmin@uottawa.ca.TOP-SET is funded in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.This seminar is funded by the University of Ottawa.
SUNLAB Presents an NSERC CREATE TOP-SET Seminar: Trends in the U.S. Solar Sector
Friday, December 1, 2017, 3:30 p.m.Refreshments to be served starting at 3 p.mAdvanced Research Complex, room 233University of Ottawa, 25 Templeton StreetTrends in the U.S. Solar SectorValerie Hannah, Chief Operating Officer, TerraForm PowerGeoff Wright, Vice President, Market Research, Brookfield RenewableAbstract forthcomingValerie Hannah is the Chief Operating Officer of TerraForm Power and is responsible for all operations, power marketing and regulatory affairs of the company. She also oversees human resources and information technology. Ms. Hannah brings deep operating expertise to her role having held a number of leadership positions at Brookfield Renewable, where she helped the company achieve a track record of driving value through growth initiatives, increasing cash flows and mitigating risks. Prior to her current role, Ms. Hannah served as Senior Vice President, Acquisitions & Integrations at Brookfield Renewable with a focus on TerraForm Power. She also served as the Chief Financial Officer, North America at Brookfield Renewable where she was responsible for all capital markets activities including accounting, financial reporting, treasury, and taxation in North America. Ms. Hannah holds a Graduate Diploma from McGill University and is a Chartered Accountant .Geoff Wright is the Vice President of Brookfield Renewable and is responsible for power market research for North America. Mr. Wright and his team monitor commercial, fuel and technology trends in the power sector and support organic and acquisitive growth opportunities. Since joining Brookfield in 2013, Mr. Wright has been involved in a number of significant transactions across a range of industries, including commodities, transport, real estate and renewables. Prior to joining Brookfield, he was an officer of Canada’s central bank where he was responsible for regional economic analysis and outreach. Mr. Wright completed his MA (Economics) at McMaster University and graduated with a BA (Economics) from the University of Manitoba.NSERC CREATE Training in Optoelectronics for Power:from Science and Engineering to Technology (TOP-SET) is a training program to form a cohort of highly qualified personnel with comprehensive understanding of optoelectronic systems, capable of joining advanced R&D teams. For further details regarding TOP-SET, please contact Christine Couture, sunlabadmin@uottawa.ca.TOP-SET is funded in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.This seminar is funded by the University of Ottawa.