FEEL is a research laboratory focusing on the development of low cost and mechanically flexible photovoltaic (PV) devices, large-area microelectronics and integrated renewable energy systems. Flexible PV and electronic devices have the potential for roll-to-roll manufacturing with significantly reduced costs in near future. This is also a paradigm shift for electronic devices from today’s centralized silicon chips to flexible smart phones, clothes, car/building components, and health-monitoring devices. Similar to natural organisms, future electronic devices need to generate their own energy, sense their environment, and perform a designated function. At FEEL, we use novel electronic materials such as nanowires and nanotubes for making low-cost and flexible electronics that facilitates this vision for future electronics. Examples of our interests are: flexible solar cells that can be integrated onto clothes and vehicles, large-area organic/inorganic materials for energy scavenging, flexible transistors to process information over large-area, and sensors and readout systems for "intelligent skin". FEEL is at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and is a member of Microsystems and Nanotechnology Group and Clean Energy Research Centre at UBC.
NEWS:
Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (PWIAS) has recently announced a Major Thematic Grant for "Nanomaterials for Alternative Energy Application". FEEL is a member of research team led by Prof. Mike Wolf, Chemistry, UBC. This grant will provide significant boost to FEEL's research on low cost solar cells.
EVENTS:
We presented four papers in this year's MRS Spring 2012 conference in San Francisco, CA (Apr. 9-13):
Peyman Servati, S. Soltanian, S. Ebrahimi Takalloo, J. Ritchie, H. Yang, and F. Ko, "Transparent, flexible composite nanofibrous electronics for touch screen fabrics," Symposium K: Advanced Materials and Processes for “Systems-on-Plastic”; Paper K10.9, oral presentation, Apr. 13, 2012.
Bobak Gholamkhass, N. Mohseni Kiasari, J. Shen, S. Soltanian, and P. Servati, "High short circuit current, stable and efficient inverted organic solar cell with nanostructured electron- and hole-electrodes," Symposium GG: Functional Inorganic Nanoparticle-Polymer Composites with Engineered Structures and Coupled Properties; Paper GG13.4, oral presentation, Apr. 13, 2012.
Nima Mohseni Kiasari, S. Soltanian, and P. Servati, "Low cost environmental sensors using zinc oxide nanowires and nanostructures," Symposium AA: Inorganic Nanowires and Nanotubes–Synthesis, Properties, and Device Applications; Paper AA9.24, poster presentation, Apr. 12, 2012.
Nima presented his paper on nanowire sensors on the evening of Apr. 12.
Nima Mohseni Kiasari, B. Gholamkhass, S. Soltanian, F. Ko, and P. Servati, "Hybrid organic-inorganic photovoltaic devices with composite nanomesh transparent electrode on clear plastic substrates," Symposium J: Organic and Hybrid-Organic Electronics; Paper J10.39, poster presentation, Apr. 11, 2012.
