Meet a PhD graduate: Researcher in solar cells
- Michael Lillemose
- Research & Development Engineer with PhotoSolar ApS
- PhD from DTU Nanotech, M.Sc. from DTU Physics
- Age: 31
Windows with built-in sun shielding and solar cells gathering energy from the sun to produce electricity! The business PhotoSolar is developing and putting such a window into production in order for e.g. large glass fronts in office buildings to be converted into energy correct power sources.
After completing his PhD at DTU Nanotech, Michael Lillemose got employed with the business PhotoSolar which develops and produces solar cells. He has now been with the business for three weeks.
What is the focus of your current work?
I made a shift to another field of research compared to my PhD thesis when I left the university and joined the research environment at PhotoSolar. In return I am able to draw upon the knowledge I have within physics as well as nanotechnology. With a background in physics – I have a master’s from DTU Physics – I can easily figure out how a solar cell works. If you add the knowledge on nanotechnology, I have collected a lot of useful tools and knowledge about software which I can use directly in my work with developing solar cell that can function both as sun shields and as solar cells in a window. The solar cell lies on a net which is laminated into the actual window glass. Light will still be entering the room as the transparency of the glass is only reduced by 50 %.
What was the focus of your PhD studies?
During my studies I researched and examined certain materials that are used in micro chips. I was part of the Nanoprobes-group where we worked on micro- and Nano mechanics in connection with biological and chemical tracing. The purpose of the research is e.g. enable the health sector to take blood, analyse it and get the result at almost the same time while the doctor is with patient, all by using micro chips. This way you can avoid the time-consuming process involved with taking a blood sample, sending it to the lab and then getting the result from the lab to the doctor and finally back to the patient. However the new materials that I was examining may be used in many different connections.
How would you describe the transition from being a PhD student to your current position as an employee in a private company?
I have only been employed for three weeks so it is limited how much I can say about this. On the other hand, after spending ten years in academics I have an urge to get to work in a place where we focus on mutual projects and products with a view to selling these. Between my master’s and PhD studies I worked for six months with Novo Nordisk Engineering, but then I discovered that they were looking for a PhD student at DTU Nanotech within a research field which was extremely interesting for me. I considered it to be an exciting opportunity for me to use the knowledge I has gained from my master’s and to dig deeper into a subject that I find very interesting. We had a unique study environment, we were a lot of young people and we cooperated and helped each other along the way. For example when we made experimental projects in the clean rooms at DTU Danchip where they have excellent facilities for performing advanced product development and proto typing. We were a group of students who had a specialist community and who could help each other both by using the equipment correctly and by sharing knowledge about our individual projects. In my current job we also have a specialist community but the project is mutual and not individual and we work together towards specific goals and products.
How is your work relevant to society?
So far I have only been in contact with a small corner of the research performed within nanotechnology, but in short terms you may say that the research I am involved with helps to forward the understanding, develop the design and integration of functional materials and micro- and nano-scale components on a nano scale which means from 0.1 to 100 nanometres. This makes it possible to completely accurately control and monitor at atomic and molecular levels and to place the individual molecules and atoms in such an order that the new materials and process gain quite specific functions and qualities that cannot be achieved in any other way. It could be the development of chips for the health sector or the environmental area.
What is your advice to others who consider studying for a PhD?
PhD studies can be very diverse. However in my experience you should not aim too high – you cannot solve all problems in the world during three years’ studies – and it is important to accept that the project may not progress exactly as you had imagined it from the beginning. Allow yourself to become wiser as you go along so that things may change direction if this turns out to be what is most appropriate. Things take time. On the other hand, turning down the level of ambition with regard to your starting point does not mean that you must turn down you overall level of ambition.
Why did you choose DTU for your PhD studies?
I wanted to study physics and had the choice between DTU and the University of Copenhagen. I knew that I did not want to become a high school teacher and the great freedom of choice in terms of subjects at DTU made me see possibilities of a many different types of jobs when I had completed my studies. As for the PhD it was obvious that I should go back to DTU and study for this, but it was probably just as much due to the fact that I knew someone at DTU Nanotech who warmly recommended that I jump right into it.