Clemens Heske

Dr. Clemens Heske is a Professor of Materials Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). His research focuses on the electronic and chemical properties of surfaces and interfaces using advanced spectroscopic techniques to investigate energy conversion devices.

Dr. Heske's research expertise spans multiple areas of materials science for energy applications. His group studies surface and interface characterization, materials for energy conversion, synchrotron radiation techniques, photovoltaics, photoelectrochemistry, water splitting, fuel cells, light-emitting devices, nuclear fuel, and hydrogen storage. They utilize a unique tool chest of experimental methods to investigate thin-film solar cells, fuel cells, and other devices for energy conversion, collaborating with partners from academia, national labs, and industry.

His recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on thin-film photovoltaic materials, particularly copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells. The research examines interface properties, surface treatments (especially alkali post-deposition treatments), and electronic structures using advanced spectroscopic techniques including X-ray and electron spectroscopy. Much of this work involves international collaboration with institutions in Germany.

Dr. Heske's laboratory is located in the Science and Engineering Building at UNLV (rooms 1123/1124) as part of the Inorganic Materials & Nanomaterials program group. His team conducts experiments both at UNLV and at the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as well as at partner institutions in Germany including the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Wuerzburg, and Helmholtz-Zentrum for Materials and Energy.