Completed an extensive in-lab research fellowship that focused heavily on the quantum mechanics and general advanced concepts of solar cells (primarily GaAs). More than 200 lab hours were logged by the end of this project.

1. Solar Cell Anti-Reflective Coatings with ZnO Nano-Rod
Technologies
Omar Elfeky– The Woodlands College Park High School, Woodlands TX
Summer 2013 Quarknet &QESST Scholar at University of Houston
Acknowledgments:
I would like to thank Prof. Alex Freundlich for hosting the summer research experience at the Center for Advanced Materials and Camden Kirkland for his guidance and mentorship
This material is based upon work supported in part by the Engineering Research Center Program of the National Science Foundation and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the
Department of Energy under NSF Cooperative Agreement No. EEC‐1041895. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation or Department of Energy.
Purpose:
As a Quarknet and QESST scholar I worked under the direction of
Alex Freundlich and Camden Kirkland in developing ZnO and ZnS
anti-reflect coatings with nano-rods through electroplating on a GaAs
sample, and additionally focused on the construction of a system in
order to experimentally determine a Pourbaix diagram for ZnO and
its respective oxidized species.
My Involvement in QESST and Quarknet:
: Quarknet is a physics geared Department of Energy program aimed
at placing rising high school seniors in research and development
oriented laboratories at universities. I was one of seven selected for the
opportunity out of Houston and the surrounding area and chose Dr.
Alex Freundlich as my mentor for the six week program. Dr.
Freundlich’s group is directly associated with QESST, and thus I was
given the opportunity to become a QESST Young Scholar.
Conclusion:
Throughout my six weeks as a Quarknet and QESST scholar I
faced various intellectual obstacles and challenges that
stimulated an intellectual growth within me. Not only did I learn
about solar cells, and more specifically the electroplating process
for their anti-reflect coats, but I also matured as a person. I
received an urgent awakening in terms of the energy crisis the
human race will face in a few decades if we do not implement
energy-efficient solar cells. I experienced a true research and
development oriented laboratory, sat in on the meetings, looked
at the budget, helped undergraduates with their work and most
importantly, listened. I listened to everything that everyone had
to offer to me, trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible,
knowing that an extraordinary experience such as this does not
come by regularly. Quite honestly, these amazing 6 weeks have
changed me as a person, transforming me into a more organized,
knowledgeable, goal-oriented scholar interested in pursuing a
career in this field.
The electroplating/Pourbaix diagram set-up (left) and cased ZnO plated GaAs samples ready to go to
the SEM to be scanned for nano-rods and surface morphology.
Pourbaix diagram of Zinc Oxide(left) and SEM picture of our sample with
discernible nano-rod growth (right)
My Projects:
Primarily, my work during the 6 weeks was focused on producing anti-reflect
coating samples, using ZnO and ZnS, and examining their crystallography and
morphology under an SEM. The first week was spent learning and researching the
different types of electrolytic and galvanic electroplating reactions and their
respective applications. The following weeks were spent setting up the ZnO bath
and plating the GaAs samples. The reaction was induced by an outside voltage
source, thus deeming this plating reaction as electrolytic. Factors that affected the
platings and their morphology include the speed at which we plated the metal onto
the GaAs sample, how far the electrodes were in relation to each other in the bath,
the voltage supplied, and the concentration of the metal species in the bath. Our
primary focus in the first few weeks was to establish a solid electroplating
procedure and develop various “clean” samples. However, we slowly started
focusing on trying to plate nano-rods onto the sample. The nano-rods themselves
help increase efficiency by decreasing reflectivity and increasing the absorption of
the light. Additionally, I was also assigned an individual task of setting up a system
in order to experimentally derive a Pourbaix diagram for ZnO. A Pourbaix diagram
maps out possible stable equilibrium phases of an aqueous electrochemical system.
Predominant ion boundaries are represented by lines. As such a Pourbaix diagram
can be read much like a standard phase diagram with a different set of axes. But
like phase diagrams, they do not allow for reaction rate or kinetic effects. Both
projects helped introduce me to the chemistry behind solar cells as well as the
physical aspect of their operation.
Myself dressed in the proper
attire(gown and shoe covers)
for entry into the class 10,000
room that house the MBE
chamber