Darius Kuciauskas

Darius Kuciauskas is a Researcher in the Chemistry and Nanoscience division at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), specializing in semiconductor electro-optical characterization for photovoltaic applications. His expertise focuses on carrier lifetime analysis, passivation techniques, and transport properties in solar cell materials including cadmium telluride (CdTe) and perovskites.

Education:

• PhD in Chemistry, Arizona State University
• Bachelor in Physics, Vilnius University

Research Focus:

Kuciauskas pioneers advanced metrology for photovoltaic semiconductors, with seminal contributions including two-photon characterization methods for thin films and optical differentiation of field-effect versus defect passivation. His work spans II-VI/III-V semiconductors, kesterites, chalcogenides, and polycrystalline devices, emphasizing band tailing effects and metastability analysis. Current research targets CdTe and perovskite optimization through doping strategies and degradation mitigation.

Publication Trends:

2025 publications reveal concentrated efforts on voltage loss modeling, pseudohalide passivation for perovskites, and RbF treatment for CIGS cells. These works demonstrate industry-aligned problem-solving, with consistent collaboration on world-record CdTe solar cells since 2010. Key themes include defect engineering, carrier mobility enhancement, and in-situ characterization under operational conditions.

Collaborative Impact:

• Analysis contributor for all world-record CdTe solar cells since 2010
• Extensive partnerships with academic and industrial photovoltaics entities
• Methodology development for carrier lifetime and passivation validation