Dr. Michael Pollard has broad experience in optoelectronic device fabrication and characterisation. He received his BEng (1st class, Hons.) in Electronic Engineering and PhD in Nanophotonics from the University of Southampton in 2006 and 2011, respectively, and was awarded the Sir William Siemens Medal. His doctoral thesis focused on manipulating the transmission and emission of light using photonic crystals. This expertise resulted in a 3-year appointment to a multi-disciplinary EU FP7 project (PHOTOSENS) developing photonic crystal-based biosensors, where he led the principle sensor design and inorganic prototype fabrication. As part of this work, he also developed scientific instruments for measurement of luminescence and light scattering.
In 2014, he joined UNSW Sydney as a Research Fellow within the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, where he leveraged his background in electronics and photonics to develop technology for solar cell fabrication and characterisation. This included building systems for laser doping and micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy, and leading an ACAP grant developing interdigitated back contact (IBC) cells for testing nanophotonic light trapping surfaces; the latter involved international collaboration with partners in the UK, US, the Netherlands, and Germany.
In May 2018, Dr. Pollard joined A/Prof Hoex’ team, where he is primarily responsible for developing industrially-feasible ALD-deposited films for passivation and carrier selective contacts, prototyping tools for advanced hydrogenation, and establishing new tools for optical characterisation of semiconductor devices. He also has keen industrial interests and is currently involved in the commercialisation of scientific instruments as part of a UNSW startup.
UNSW Hoex Group 