ICTP-ICO-MCTP College on

Mesoamerican Centre for Theoretical Physics,

Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México.
28 April - 9 May 2014

Organizers:

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), in collaboration with the International Commission for Optics (ICO), The Mesoamerican Centre for Theoretical Physics (MCTP), and the Iberian American Network on Optics (RIAO).

The 21st century is the century of photonics and of the revolution triggered by renewable energy resources. Sustainable technologies and devices for energy production involve fundamental aspects of physics such as interaction of matter with radiation, optics and optical devices for diagnostics, physical properties of materials in the optical band, the physics of semiconductors and new photo materials. The search for improvement of the efficiency of solar systems involves also research in new areas like silicon photonics, new structures for the harvesting of light, and the design and fabrication of optical elements with high optical performances, such as photovoltaic concentrators. The College is intended to provide researchers from developing nations, and in particular Latin America and the Caribbean, with a scientific understanding of photovoltaic systems, recent scientific achievements in nanotechnology and plasmonics for the enhancement of the efficiency of solar cells and global tendencies towards efficient energy consumption and the implementation of smart grids.

Topics and faculty

• Photonics for solar energy: Fundamentals of photovoltaics
  Maria Luisa Calvo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
• Novel photovoltaic materials and light harvesting structures
  Rajesh Menon , Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Utah, USA.
• Optical design and novel technologies for high performance solar concentrators
  Juán Carlos Miñano, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Cedint, Campus de Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain.
• Principles of organic solar cells and current research tendencies to increase their efficiency
  Oracio Barbosa García, CIO, México.
• Solar energy storage.
  Arturo Fernández Madrigal, Instituto de energías renovables, UNAM, Mexico.
• Smart grid applications: optical fiber communication and sensors.
  Angela Guzmán, College of Optics and Photonics, UCF, Florida, USA.
• Lighting: new energy saving sources
  Iván Moreno, University of Zacatecas, México.
• Power generation diagnostic with optical spectroscopy techniques
  Elena Golinelli, T&D Technologies Department, RSE – Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico, Milano, Italy.
• Metrology and Regulation for solid state lighting Eric Rosas, Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, México
• Workshop: Measuring the local solar spectrum for efficient solar energy harvesting with low cost equipment
  Omar Ormachea, CIO, UPB, Bolivia.
• Workshop: Characterization of solar cell systems
  Miguel Torres-Cisneros. University of Guanajuato, Salamanca, México.
• Workshop: Energy saving sources for lighting
  Iván Moreno, University of Zacatecas, Mexico.

Other invited speakers:

Prof. Arturo Morales-Acevedo, CINVESTAV, Mexico: “Photovoltaic systems to help meet the expected electrical energy demand growth in Latin America: The Mexican case.”

Prof. Alberto Varela, Solar Laboratory, Saint Thomas University, FL, USA : “Domestic and International Implications of STU’s Solar Project”

Directors:

Prof. María L. Calvo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Prof. Angela M. Guzmán, CREOL, University of Central Florida, USA.
Prof. Arnulfo Zepeda, MCTP, Chiapas, Mexico.

Local Organizer

Prof. Joseph J. Niemela, ICTP, Trieste, Italy.

Local Committtee: 

Chair: Elder de la Rosa Cruz, Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, México 
Local Secretariat: MCTP, México

POSTER (PDF 984K)

PROGRAM (PDF 591K)