Dr. Zin is a director and principal investigator of Rutgers Nanofabrication CORE Facility, and a graduate faculty of ECE at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Prior to joining Rutgers, Dr. Zin was a Research Assistant Professor with the University of Central Florida (UCF). Dr. Zin led the team at UCF for developing solar cell device fabrication capabilities, advancing characterization and analysis, and development of industrially applicable high efficiency silicon solar cells. Before UCF career, he was with ANU as a Research Fellow until 2016. Dr. Zin has many years of demonstrated track record in developing >24% IBC silicon solar cells and managing collaboration projects with industry partners including Trina Solar, GCL System Integration, SolarTech Universal, Tempress, Oxford Instruments, Roth & Rau, International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research ICAMR, Semilab SDI, NAURA-Akrion, Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore SERIS and ESA Renewables. Notably, through partnership Trina Solar has successfully commercialized large-area IBC silicon solar cells with efficiency of 24.13%^[1] (2^nd highest after SunPower) based on the technologies that Dr. Zin and colleagues developed at the Australian National University. Dr. Zin also received multiple research grants with the total award value of $1.8M to date, employing postdocs, and supervising grad and undergrad students to date. Dr. Zin also had multiple years of manufacturing experience in a high-tech semiconductor industry, with his roles spanned from maintenance, installation, commissioning, continuous improvements in semiconductor equipment, yield improvement, cycle-time reduction, defects and failure analysis, inventory management, quality control, and training and qualification.

RESEARCH FUNDING/PROJECTS

1) 2024 New Process and Characterization Instruments to NCF ($135,000)
Funding Agency: Office of Naval Research and Office of the Dean, Rutgers
Role: Co-Investigator
Duration: 1 year (2024)

2) 2022 Core Facility Equipment Grant ($80,000)
Funding Agency: Office of Research, Rutgers
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 1 year (2022)

3) A Commercialization Path of DI-O3 Based Passivated Contact Solar Cells by Silicon PV Frontiers ($3,000)
Funding Agency: NSF I-Corp Northeast Regional Program
Role: Technical Lead and Co-Entrepreneur Lead
Duration: < 1 year (2022)

4) Characterization of DI-O3 oxides for PV applications and Beyond ($380,000)
Funding Agency: Department of Energy, Solar Energy Technology Office
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 2 years (2021-2023)

5) Preeminent Postdoctoral Program P3 (Match Funding for the Externally Awarded Grant to Hire a PostDoc) ($50,000)
Funding Agency: University of Central Florida
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 1 year (2018-2019)

6) Unlocking the High Efficiency Potential of Bifacial Silicon Solar Cells by Advanced but Simplified Techniques ($762,681)
Funding Agency: Florida Office of Energy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 2 years (2017-2019)

7) Enabling Efficiencies >22.5% with Transitional Metal Oxide (TMO) Using Low-Cost In-Line Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition
Funding Agency: Department of Energy, Solar Energy Technology Office
Role: Project Collaborator
Duration: 3 years (2016-2019)

8) Optical Characterization of Passivated Contacts for Silicon Solar Cells ($70,666)
Funding Agency: Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, ACAP
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Duration: 1 year (2017-2018)

9) Advanced Light Trapping for High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells ($50,000)
Funding Agency: Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, ACAP
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Duration: 1 year (2016-2017)

10) Development of IBC Si Solar Cells based on Simplified Fabrication Techniques ($415,969)
Funding Agency: (1) Australian Renewable Energy Agency, ARENA and (2) Trina Solar
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 3 years (2013-2016)

11) Development of All-Back-Contacted Si Solar Cells
Funding Agency: (1) Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, SERIS and (2) Trina Solar
Role: Project Lead
Duration: 3 years (2011-2013)

PUBLICATIONS

Google Scholar

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S1df0NsAAAAJ&hl=en

Book Chapter

• Andrew Blakers, Ngwe Zin, “Silicon Solar Cell Device Structures”, Chapter in the handbook of PV Solar Energy – From Fundamentals to Applications, Chapter 3, Wiley & Sons Publishing, 2017.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

• V Kumar, M Gao and N Zin, "The Critical Influence of Spin‐Dry Technique on the Surface Passivation Quality of Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Structures, " physica status solidi (RRL)–Rapid Research Letters, https://doi.org/10.1002/pssr.202400314.&nbsp;  
• M. Gao, V. Kumar, W. Schoenfeld and Ngwe Zin, "UV-Ozone Oxide for Surface Clean, Passivation, and Tunneling Contact Applications of Silicon Solar Cells," in IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, DOI:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2023.3244370.
• V. Kumar, M.Gao, Ngwe Zin, "Pinhole-Free Ultrathin Silicon Oxide Layer by Ozone-Dissolved Deionized Water" physica status solidi (RRL)–Rapid Research Letters, https://doi.org/10.1002/pssr.202200325.
• NE Grant, TC Kho, KC Fong, E Franklin, KR McIntosh, M Stocks, Y Wan, Er-Chien Wang, Ngwe Zin, JD Murphy, A Blakers, “Anodic oxidations: Excellent process durability and surface passivation for high efficiency silicon solar cells” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 208 (2019) 110155.
• Ngwe Zin, S. Bakhshi, M. Gao, H. Ali, I. Kashkoush, W. Schoenfeld, “Effective use of UV-ozone oxide in Silicon Solar Cell Applications” Physica Status Solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters, Nov. 2018. DOI: 10.1002/pssr.201800488.
• Bakhshi, Ngwe Zin*, H. Ali, M. Wilson, D. Chanda, K. Davis, and W. Schoenfeld, “Simple and Versatile UV-Ozone Oxide for Silicon Solar Cell Applications,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 185 (2018) 505–510.
• Kho, K. Fong, K. McIntosh, M. Stocks, S. Pheng Phang, Y. Wan, E. Wang, E. Franklin, V. Kaushal, N. Grant, Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, “Exceptional Silicon Surface Passivation by ONO Stacks,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 189 (2018) 245-253.
• Ngwe Zin, K. McIntosh, S. Bakhshi, V. Abraham, T. Kho, K. Fong, M. Stocks, E. Franklin, and A. Blakers, “Polyimide for Silicon Solar Cells with Double Sided Textured Pyramids,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 183 (2018) 200-204.
• McIntosh, Ngwe Zin, H. Nguyen, M. Stocks, E. Franklin, K. Fong, T. Kho, E. Wang, T. Ratcliff, D. Macdonald, C. Baragkin, K. Catchpole and A. Blakers, “Optical evaluation of silicon wafers with rounded rear pyramids,” in IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 1596-1602, Nov. 2017. doi: 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2017.2754060.
• Ngwe Zin, “Recombination-Free Reactive Ion Etch for High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells,” in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 172, pp. 55-58, 2017.
• Duong, Y. Wu, H. Shen, J. Peng, Xiao Fu, Daniel Jacobs, Er‐Chien Wang, Teng Choon Kho, Kean Chern Fong, Matthew Stocks, Evan Franklin, Andrew Blakers, Ngwe Zin, Keith McIntosh, Wei Li, Yi‐Bing Cheng, Thomas P White, Klaus Weber, Kylie Catchpole, “Rubidium Multication Perovskite with Optimized Bandgap for Perovskite‐Silicon Tandem with over 26% Efficiency, “ Advanced Energy Materials, 2017, 1700228.
• Fong, K. Teng, T. Ratcliff, E. Franklin, Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, K. McIntosh, A. Fell, J. Bullock, “Contact Resistivity of Evaporated Al Contacts for Silicon Solar Cells,” IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics 5 (5), 1304-1309, 2015.
• Franklin, K. Fong, K. McIntosh, A. Fell, A. Blakers, K. Teng, D. Walter, D. Wang, Ngwe Zin, M. Stocks, E. Wang, N. Grant, Y. Wan, Y. Yang, X. Zhang, Z. Feng, P. Verlinden, “Design, fabrication and characterization of a 24.4% efficient interdigitated back contact solar cell, “Progress in Photovoltaic: Research and Applications, DOI: 10.1002/pip.2556, 2014.
• Blakers, Ngwe Zin, K. McIntosh, K. Fong, ”High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells,” Energy Procedia 33 (2013) 1-10.
• Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, K. McIntosh, E. Franklin, T. Kho, K. Fong, J. Wong, T. Mueller, A. G. Aberle, Y. Yang, X. Zhang, Z. Feng, Q. Huang and P. Verlinden “Continued Development of ABC Silicon Solar Cells at ANU,” Energy Procedia 33 (2013) 50-63.
• Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, E. Franklin, T. Kho, K. McIntosh, J. Wong, T. Mueller, A. G. Aberle, Y. Yang, X. Zhang, Z. Feng, and Q. Huang, “Progress in the development of All-Back-Contacted Silicon Solar Cells”, Energy Procedia 25 (2012) 1-9.
• Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, and K. Weber, “RIE-induced Carrier Lifetime Degradation”, Progress in Photovoltaic: Research and Applications, 18 (214–220) 2010.

Peer-Reviewed Conference Publications

• H Ali, M Gao, Ngwe Zin, S Bakhshi, WV Schoenfeld, KO Davis, “Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of UV-ozone Cleaned Silicon Surfaces for Application in High Efficiency Photovoltaics,” 46^th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Chicago, IL, 2019.
• Bakhshi, Ngwe Zin, M. Wilson, I. Kashkoush, K. Davis and W. Schoenfeld, “Diversified Applications of UV-Ozone Oxide: Effective Surface Clean and High-Quality Passivation,” 45^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Waikoloa HI, 2018.
• Bakhshi, Ngwe Zin, K. Davis, M. Wilson, I. Kashkoush and W. Schoenfeld, “Improving Silicon Surface Passivation with a Silicon Oxide Layer Grown via Ozonated Deionized Water,” 44^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Washington DC, 2017.
• Ngwe Zin, K. McIntosh, K. Teng, E. Franklin, K. Fong, M. Stocks, E. Wang, T. Ratcliff, A. Blakers, “Rounded Rear Pyramidal Texture for High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells, “43^rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Portland, June 2016.
• Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, E. Franklin, K. Fong, T. Kho, C. Barugkin, E. Wang, “Etch-Back Simplifies Interdigitated Back Contact Solar Cells,” 40^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Denver, June 2014.
• McIntosh, T. Kho, K. Fong, S. Baker-Finch, Y. Wan, Ngwe Zin, E. Franklin, D. Wang, M. Abbott, N. Grant, E Wang, M. Stocks, A. Blakers, “Quantifying the optical losses in back-contact solar cells,” 40^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Denver, June 2014.
• Barugkin, Ngwe Zin, K. Catchpole, “Photoluminescence Enhancement towards High Efficiency Plasmonic Solar Cells,” 39^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Austin, June 2013.
• KC Fong, K Teng, KR McIntosh, AW Blakers, E Franklin, Ngwe Zin, A Fell, “Optimisation of N+ diffusion and contact size of IBC solar cells”, 28th EUPVSEC, Paris, France, September 2014.
• Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, E. Franklin, T. Kho, K. Fong, K. McIntosh, J. Wong, T. Mueller, A. G. Aberle, Y. Yang, X. Zhang, Z. Feng, and Q. Huang, “Laser-assisted Shunt Removal on High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells”, 27^th EUPVSEC, Hamburg, Germany, September 2012.
• Ngwe Zin, A. Blakers, K. McIntosh, E. Franklin, T. Kho, J. Wong, T. Mueller, A. G. Aberle, Z. Feng, and Q. Huang, “19% Efficient N-Type All-Back-Contact Silicon Wafer Solar Cells With Planar Front Surface”, 49^th ANZSES Conference 2011, December 2011, Sydney, Australia.
• Ngwe Zin and A. Blakers, “Boron Spots Induced Shunts”, 37^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Seattle, USA, June 2011.
• Ngwe Zin and A. Blakers, “Single Junction, Horizontally-Stacked and Vertically-Stacked MSS Cells”, 37^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Seattle, USA, June 2011.

[1] http://www.trinasolar.com/us/our-company/innovation

COLLOQUIA & INVITED TALKS                                                                                                                                                    

1. Capabilities of NCF Rutgers, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, 2022
2. Princeton Innovation: Conferences for CORE Facilities in NJ, Princeton, NJ, 2021
3. 2018 Florida Chapter of the AVS Science and Technology Society, Orlando, USA, May 2018.
4. 8^th International Conference and Exhibition on Lasers, Optics & Photonics, Las Vegas, USA, November 2017.
5. Presentation at SunPower Corporation, San Jose, CA, USA, November 2017.
6. Renewable Energy Systems and Sustainability Conference, Florida Polytechnic University, FL, USA, August 2017.
7. Megawatt Venture 2017, Orlando, FL, USA, June 2017.
8. Renewable Energy and Efficiency Technologies Grant Presentation, University of Central Florida, FL, USA, May 2017.
9. Solar Seminar, University of Central Florida, FL, USA, April 2017.
10. Presentation for 1366 Technologies, Canberra, Australia, February 2016.
11. Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia, December 2015.
12. PV Asia Pacific Conference, Singapore, October 2012.
13. 27^th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, Hamburg, Germany, September 2012.
14. PV Asia Pacific Conference, Singapore, November 2011.
15. 49^th Australia New Zealand Solar Energy Society Conference, Sydney, Australia, December 2011.
16. 37^th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Seattle, USA, June 2011.
17. Presentation for the University of Delaware, Canberra, Australia, August 2010.
18. Nano E3 Conference, Margaret River, WA, Australia, September 2008.
19. International Union of Material Research Societies – International Conference on Electronic Materials (IUMRS-ICEM), Sydney, Australia, July 2008.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND OUTREACH

• Peer reviewing journal submissions in
  • Nature Scientific Reports
  • Progress in Photovoltaic: Research and Applications
  • Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
  • Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics (JMSE)
• Peer reviewing grant submissions of
  • CORE Facility Committee Member, Rutgers
  • University of Central Florida External and Internal Grant Applications