Bill McMahon

Bill McMahon is a Researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory within the Chemistry and Nanoscience group. He has conducted foundational research on III-V solar cells, semiconductor surface science, and dislocation physics for over 25 years.

• Education:
• Bachelor of Engineering Physics, Colorado School of Mines
• Master of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• PhD in Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

His research focuses on three-terminal solar cells, voltage-matched strings, and III-V growth on inexpensive substrates. Key contributions include dislocation glide force analysis, nano-imprinted optical coatings, and 3D current flow modeling.

Recent publications emphasize tandem photovoltaics, GaAs-on-Si integration, and substrate reuse techniques. His work involves collaborations across the U.S. and explores dislocation density reduction, epitaxial planarization, and spectral efficiency limits.