Behrang Hamadani (Fed)

Dr. Behrang H. Hamadani is a Group Leader in the Heat Transfer and Alternative Energy Systems (HTAES) Group of the Engineering Laboratory (EL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Behrang joined the HTAES Group in November of 2010 following his postdoctoral work at the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology at NIST.  He currently leads a project centered on electronic and electro-optical measurements and characterization of photovoltaic materials and devices. His expertise include differential spectral responsivity measurements and calibration of reference solar cells, spectral irradiance measurements, a variety of time-domain spectroscopies, and absolute hyperspectral imaging methods. The ultimate objective of this research is to accurately predict device performance under standard reporting conditions and also understand the photovoltaic energy losses that hinder achievement of high efficiency cells. Behrang also leads smaller research projects focused on related topics such as charge carrier lifetime measurements, external radiative efficiency measurements and defect characterization of semiconductor materials. 

Dr. Hamadani received a B.S. in physics from University of Texas at Dallas (summa cum laude) in 2001, and a Ph.D. also in physics from Rice University (2007) under the guidance of Prof. Douglas Natelson. His dissertation work was titled, “Electronic Charge Injection and Transport in Organic Field-Effect Transistors”. Behrang has published over 50 journal articles, 2 book chapters, 2 patents and has given over 40 invited and contributed presentations on his research at national and international conferences, universities and industrial research labs. He is currently a member of the the ASTM International and regularly participates in Standards committee meetings, proposal review panels and advisory boards. For his work, Dr. Hamadani received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2019. 

Current Programs/Projects:

• Reference solar cell calibrations based on the absolute irradiance spectral responsivity method
• Optical and electro-optical measurements and characterization of perovskite solar cells
• Hyperspectral imaging techniques and luminescence-based defect characterization of semiconductor materials
• Photovoltaic measurements under low irradiance conditions (indoor PV)

Facilities:

NIST PV Characterization Laboratory

Engineering Laboratory Mentoring Award (2015 and 2020)

Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), 2019

Judson C. French Award for outstanding achievements in measurement services and products to industry (2022)