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Professor Guillaume Zoppi

Professor

Department: Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering

I am an professor in the Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering involved in research and learning and teaching activities.

 

I currently teach fundamental experimental skills in physics and engineering covering a broad range of concepts: laser diffraction, atomic spectroscopy, Hall effect and optical properties of semiconductors, and gravity to name a few. I also endeavour to demonstrate to students the role and value of error analysis in scientific measurements as well as practising key skills in the dissemination of scientific content. I also teach Nuclear Energy inlcuding fission and fusion as well as reactor design.

My research background is in the area of thin film photovoltaics where layers one or two microns thick are used to absorb sun light and generate electricity. Despite half a century of tremendous progress the technology offers so much more and the prospects are very exciting. As an experimentalist I like spending my time whenever possible in the lab getting involved with the team in fabricating or characterising new layers and structures. Getting your first working device is always an event and I remember mine even though it was a long time ago.

I graduated from the Université de Savoie in France in 1998 with a DUT "Mesures Physiques". I then joined Northumbria University where I completed a BSc (Hons) in Applied Physics and MSc in Optoelectronics & Communication Systems. I was awarded a PhD in Physics from Durham University in 2005 for a thesis on thin film solar cells on a collaborative project with Bangor University. In 2005, I joined the photovoltaic group at Northumbria University to conduct research on photovoltaic solar cells based on CuInSe2 and related materials. I joined the academic team of the Faculty of Engineering & Environment at Northumbria university in 2012. Visit the photovoltaic group pages for more info.

Funded projects

  • EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities Plus (ReNU+) (EP/Y035542/1) (2025-2032) £5.3M (Co-I)
  • The Wolfson Foundation Materials characterisation suite: surface science equipment £1.0M (PI);
  • EPSRC Advanced thin film sputtering fabrication facility (TF-FAB) (EP/X030202/1) £971k (PI);
  • EPSRC Reimagining Photovoltaics Manufacturing (EP/W010062/1), (2022-2025) £986k (Co-I);
  • EPSRC Solution-processed inorganic thin film photovoltaics devices (SolPV) (EP/V008692/1) (2021-2024) £607k within a 2.0M programme (Co-I);
  • EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (ReNU) (EP/S023836/1) (2019-2027) £5.4M (Co-I);
  • EPSRC (EP/R021503/1) North East Centre for Energy Materials (NECEM), (2017-2021) £1.8M  (Co-I);
  • EPSRC NECEM Flexible Grant, Nanoscale Interfacial Engineering of Antimony-based Absorber Material for PV Applications, (2019-2021) £206k (Co-I);
  • EPSRC CAMREG Flexible Fund, Fully depleted heterostructures: a novel thin-film solar cell architecture for improved device performance, (2018-2019) £44k (Co-I);
  • EPSRC First Grant Scheme (EP/N024389/1), CZTSSe Solar Cells from Nanoparticle Inks, (2016-2018) £98k (PI);
  • UK–India (UKIERI/DST project (IND/CONT/E/13-14/657)) Development of Efficient low Cost Photovoltaic Solar Cells Based on the use of Tin Sulphide Absorber Layers, (2014-2016) £22k  (PI);
  • HEIF Innovation Project Award Development of 5W, 4-terminal Metal Strip Shunt Resistor, (2013) £12k (Co-I);
  • Royal Society Research Grant (RG120090) A Low Cost Nanostructure Fabrication System for Sustainable Solar Paint (2012-2013) £15k (Co-I);
  • The Royal Academy of Engineering Travel Grant (2010);
  • The Royal Society Travel Grant (2007).

 

Guillaume Zoppi

Campus Address

Ellison Building



My research background is in the area of thin film photovoltaics where layers one or two microns thick are used to absorb sun light and generate electricity. Despite half a century of tremendous progress the technology offers so much more and the prospects are very exciting. As an experimentalist I like spending my time whenever possible in the lab getting involved with the team in fabricating or characterising new layers and structures. Getting your first working device is always an event and I remember mine even though it was a long time ago.

Funded projects

  • EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities Plus (ReNU+) (EP/Y035542/1) (2025-2032) £5.3M (Co-I);
  • The Wolfson Foundation Materials characterisation suite: surface science equipment £1.0M (PI);
  • EPSRC Advanced thin film sputtering fabrication facility (TF-FAB) (EP/X030202/1) £971k (PI);
  • EPSRC Reimagining Photovoltaics Manufacturing (EP/W010062/1), (2022-2025) £986k (Co-I);
  • EPSRC Solution-processed inorganic thin film photovoltaics devices (SolPV) (EP/V008692/1) (2021-2024) £607k within a 2.0M programme (Co-I);
  • EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (ReNU) (EP/S023836/1) (2019-2027) £5.4M (Co-I);
  • EPSRC (EP/R021503/1) North East Centre for Energy Materials (NECEM), (2017-2021) £1.8M  (Co-I);
  • EPSRC NECEM Flexible Grant, Nanoscale Interfacial Engineering of Antimony-based Absorber Material for PV Applications, (2019-2021) £206k (Co-I);
  • EPSRC CAMREG Flexible Fund, Fully depleted heterostructures: a novel thin-film solar cell architecture for improved device performance, (2018-2019) £44k (Co-I);
  • EPSRC First Grant Scheme (EP/N024389/1), CZTSSe Solar Cells from Nanoparticle Inks, (2016-2018) £98k (PI);
  • UK–India (UKIERI/DST project (IND/CONT/E/13-14/657)) Development of Efficient low Cost Photovoltaic Solar Cells Based on the use of Tin Sulphide Absorber Layers, (2014-2016) £22k  (PI);
  • HEIF Innovation Project Award Development of 5W, 4-terminal Metal Strip Shunt Resistor, (2013) £12k (Co-I);
  • Royal Society Research Grant (RG120090) A Low Cost Nanostructure Fabrication System for Sustainable Solar Paint (2012-2013) £15k (Co-I);
  • The Royal Academy of Engineering Travel Grant (2010);
  • The Royal Society Travel Grant (2007).
  •  

  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • Isotype heterojunction solar cells using n-type Sb2Se3 thin films, Hobson, T., Phillips, L., Hutter, O., Shiel, H., Swallow, J., Savory, C., Nayak, P., Mariotti, S., Das, B., Bowen, L., Jones, L., Featherstone, T., Smiles, M., Farnworth, M., Zoppi, G., Thakur, P., Lee, T., Snaith, H., Leighton, C., Scanlon, D., Dhanak, V., Durose, K., Veal, T., Major, J. 3 Mar 2020, In: Chemistry of Materials
  • Defect limitations in Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4 solar cells utilizing an In2S3 buffer layer, Campbell, S., Qu, Y., Gibbon, J., Edwards, H., Dhanak, V., Tiwari, D., Barrioz, V., Beattie, N., Zoppi, G. 29 May 2020, In: Journal of Applied Physics
  • Real-time electron nanoscopy of photovoltaic absorber formation from kesterite nanoparticles, Qu, Y., Chee, S., Duchamp, M., Campbell, S., Zoppi, G., Barrioz, V., Giret, Y., Penfold, T., Chaturvedi, A., Mirsaidov, U., Beattie, N. 27 Jan 2020, In: ACS Applied Energy Materials

  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • Advanced Thin Film Sputtering Fabrication Facility (TF-FAB), Zoppi, G. (Principal Investigator), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, 01/04/23 - 31/03/26, £971,033.00
  • CZTSSe solar cells from nanoparticle inks, Zoppi, G. (Principal Investigator), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, 01/04/16 - 31/03/18, £122,588.00
  • Development of Efficient low Cost Photovoltaic Solar Cells Based on the use of Tin Sulphide Absorber Layers, Zoppi, G. (Principal Investigator), British Council, 01/04/14 - 31/03/16, £13,720.00

  • Matthew Naylor Back Contact Interface Formation and Extrinsic Doping of Solution-processed CZTSSe Solar Cells Start Date: 01/10/2019 End Date: 25/06/2024
  • Stephen Nwankwo Process and Post-annealing Optimisation of SnS Thin Films with Alternative Buffer layers Start Date: 11/03/2015 End Date: 16/09/2019
  • Amna Ijaz Solar to Liquid Fuel for Future Sustainability (SoLFuel) Start Date: 23/10/2024
  • Stephen Campbell Spectroscopy of Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle inks and Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells Start Date: 01/10/2016 End Date: 25/06/2020
  • Arezoo Amirkhalili CdTe solar cells in substrate configuration: influence of Na, Cl and Mg treatments to promote recrystallization in the absorber layer Start Date: 25/11/2013 End Date: 10/11/2017

PhD graduates as principal supervisor

  • Dr Stephen Campbell (2020), Spectroscopy of Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle inks and Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells
  • Dr Stephen Nwankwo (2019), Process and post-annealing optimisation of SnS thin films with alternative buffer layers.
  • Dr Arezoo Amirkhalili (2017), CdTe solar cells in substrate configuration: influence of Mo, Na, Cl and Mg treatments to promote recrystallization in the absorber layer.

 

PhD graduates as co-supervisor

  • Dr Bethan Ford (2022), Investigation of kesterite solar cells on molybdenum foil substrates
  • Dr Zahra Ischwein (2020), Zinc Oxide Nanorods (ZnO NRs) for photovoltaic applications.
  • Dr Xinya Xu (2019), Flexible Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells made from nanoparticle inks.
  • Dr Cecil Cherian Lukose (2018), An investigative study of manganese-based antiperovskite structures as a thin film resistive material system.
  • Dr Chao Zhao (2016), Low temperature synthesis of nanostructured oxides for dye sensitized solar cells.
  • Dr Yongtao Qu (2016), Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells prepared from Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle inks.
  • Dr Remi Aninat (2012), Study of Cu(In,Al)Se2 thin films prepared by selenisation of sputtered metallic precursors for application in solar cells.

  • Physics PhD January 01 2006
  • Communication Studies MSc September 01 2000
  • Applied Physics BSc (Hons) September 01 1998


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