Professor Guillaume Zoppi

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).
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• 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
• NU-Pico Additional Funding, Birkett, M. (Principal Investigator), Zoppi, G. (Co Investigator), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, 01/10/25 - 31/03/26, £400,000.00
• 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
• Development of 5W, 4-terminal Metal Strip Shunt Resistor, Birkett, M. (Principal Investigator), Zoppi, G. (Co Investigator), Welwyn Components Limited, 01/03/14 - 31/03/14, £6,000.00

• Job Wambua Development of Optimally Engineered Self-Lubricating Thin Coatings for Cutting Tools of Titanium Start Date: 22/06/2023 End Date: 17/10/2025
• Amna Ijaz Doped TiO2 for thin film photovoltaic and electrocatalysis applications Start Date: 23/10/2024
• Amna Ijaz Doped TiO2 for thin film photovoltaic and electrocatalysis applications Start Date: 23/10/2024 End Date: 17/10/2025
• Job Wambua Development of Optimally Engineered Self-Lubricating Thin Coatings for Cutting Tools of Titanium Start Date: 22/06/2023

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