Professor Edward (Ted) Sargent (Photonics PhD 1998) of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECF) has devoted the better part of the last decade to finding ways to harness light with nanotechnology. Only 32‚ he has already published almost a hundred scientific papers – many of which have made headlines around the world. Almost monthly‚ his lab unveils another new way to engineer particles‚ less than a billionth of a metre in size‚ which can do the most extraordinary things.
His groundbreaking work towards the creation of a light–based internet has practically made him a household name in computer science. His contributions to solar cell technology may be immeasurable. Sargent is a rare breed among scientists: he has gained the deep admiration of both technophiles and environmentalists.
Since he was a graduate student‚ Sargent has worked towards the development of an optical internet – one based on light instead of electricity. An internet that sends information via photons instead of electrons could be up to 100 times faster than today’s internet (and would consume less energy to boot). Sargent and his team have toiled for years to create switches‚ lasers‚ semiconductor circuits and computer chips that will help us get there.
Last year‚ he made international news when his team revealed a new type of solar power cell that can capture light. He and his team “see a huge need to find alternative sources of energy [to fossil fuels]‚” he said – and they found one. Not in nuclear power‚ wind power‚ or even bright rays of sunlight; they found it in heat.
Solar energy is clean‚ but inefficient and expensive. But this may change now that Sargent and his team have created solar cells that can capture infrared light (light that is invisible to us but that we feel as heat). Conventional solar cell can only capture visible light‚ and therefore only harness about 6% of the sun’s energy. Sargent’s technology may be able to capture up to 30%. Even better‚ his solar cells can be painted onto surfaces – walls‚ fabrics and plastics.
Theoretically‚ flexible sheets of solar cells could be cheaply and easily rolled onto our roofs‚ MP3 players could soak up enough energy to run themselves and people could even wear power–generating clothing.
So important is this innovation‚ that‚ in 2005‚ Sargent was named as one of Scientific American’s 50 (a list of 50 individuals and organizations that brighten our future through science and technology) – the only Canadian selected.
Sargent’s lab continues to dazzle. This past July‚ he and his team set a milestone in the prestigious journal Nature with a description of the world’s first “paint–on” infrared detectors‚ proven to be more efficient than conventional ones by up to ten times.
But perhaps even more fascinating than the power of light is “the challenge of harnessing the tremendous creative powers of a diverse research team‚” said Sargent. “Each of the challenges we tackle …relies on innovations in materials chemistry‚ device fabrication‚ and experimental optics and electronics.”
“The process is daunting‚ fascinating‚ and – when it comes together – infinitely rewarding.”