Dr Yuchao Zhang

Research Associate
  • 2023, PhD degree in Photovoltaic Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
  • 2019, BE degree (Honours Class 1 and the University Medal) in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Engineering
Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering

Dr Yuchao Zhang is a Research Associate in the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW. His research interests are focused on several aspects of solar cell manufacturing, defect engineering and novel processes for high-efficiency low-cost solar cell fabrication. A key focus of his recent research has been understanding and addressing the constraints of material consumption for upcoming terawatt manufacturing of silicon solar cell technologies in the PV industry. He is now the Chief Investigator / Technical Lead of two metallisation-related ARENA research projects.

 

Current Research Topics:

  • Material consumption and manufacturing sustainability of industrial PERC, TOPCon, SHJ and tandem solar cells
  • Silver-lean screen-printed contacts for industrial silicon solar cells
  • Screen-printed aluminium contacts for Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact Solar Cells (TOPCon) and XBC Solar Cells
Location
123WS20, Level 1, Tyree Energy Technologies Building (H6), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Chang YC; Zhang Y; Wang L; Wang S; Wang H; Huang CY; Chen R; Chan C; Hallam B, 2025, 'Silver-lean metallization and hybrid contacts via plating on screen-printed metal for silicon solar cells manufacturing', Progress in Photovoltaics Research and Applications, 33, pp. 158 - 169, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.3799
    Journal articles | 2025
    Cheng Y; Zhang Y; Xu Y; Stokes A; Dhamrin M; Deng S; Sun L; Tsuji K; Seidel J; Chen D; Chen Y; Green M; Song N, 2025, 'Integration of aluminum contacts in TOPCon solar cells: A pathway to reduce silver usage', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 285, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113559
    Journal articles | 2025
    Wang S; Kim M; Wang L; Zhang Y; Chang N; Chan C; Hallam B, 2025, 'Sustainability Impact of Different PV Mounting Systems and Pathways for Decarbonizing Emissions of PV Deployment', IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2025.3567083
    Journal articles | 2025
    Zhang Y; Wang S; Wang L; Chang YC; Chen R; Chan C; Sun L; Cheng Y; Song N; Okamoto K; Ao Y; Wang D; Hallam B, 2025, 'Silver-lean screen-printing metallisation for industrial TOPCon solar cells: Enabling an 80 % reduction in silver consumption', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 288, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113654
    Journal articles | 2024
    Zhang Y; Wang S; Wang L; Sun Z; Chang YC; Chen R; Chan C; Okamoto K; Ao Y; Wang D; Dhamrin M; Kosuke T; Hallam B, 2024, 'Ultra-Lean Silver Screen-Printing for Sustainable Terawatt-Scale Photovoltaic', Solar RRL, 8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/solr.202400478
    Journal articles | 2023
    Hallam B; Kim M; Zhang Y; Wang L; Lennon A; Verlinden P; Altermatt PP; Dias PR, 2023, 'The silver learning curve for photovoltaics and projected silver demand for net-zero emissions by 2050', Progress in Photovoltaics Research and Applications, 31, pp. 598 - 606, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.3661
    Journal articles | 2023
    Kim M; Drury S; Altermatt P; Wang L; Zhang Y; Chan C; Dias P; Hallam B, 2023, 'Identifying methods to reduce emission intensity of centralised Photovoltaic deployment for net zero by 2050: Life cycle assessment case study of a 30 MW PV plant', Progress in Photovoltaics Research and Applications, 31, pp. 1493 - 1502, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.3747
    Journal articles | 2023
    Puthen Veettil B; Zhang Y; Payne D; Juhl M; Huang S; Hallam B; Bagnall D, 2023, 'Microwave annealing of silicon solar cells', Applied Physics Letters, 122, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0127896
    Journal articles | 2023
    Underwood R; Kim M; Drury S; Zhang Y; Wang L; Chan C; Hallam B, 2023, 'Abundant Material Consumption Based on a Learning Curve for Photovoltaic toward Net-Zero Emissions by 2050', Solar RRL, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/solr.202200705
    Journal articles | 2023
    Vicari Stefani B; Kim M; Zhang Y; Hallam B; Green MA; Bonilla RS; Fell C; Wilson GJ; Wright M, 2023, 'Historical market projections and the future of silicon solar cells', Joule, 7, pp. 2684 - 2699, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2023.11.006
    Journal articles | 2023
    Wang L; Zhang Y; Kim M; Wright M; Underwood R; Bonilla RS; Hallam B, 2023, 'Sustainability evaluations on material consumption for terawatt-scale manufacturing of silicon-based tandem solar cells', Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 31, pp. 1442 - 1442
    Journal articles | 2022
    Bartsch J; Kluska S; Glatthaar M; Gervais E; Lorenz A; De Rose A; Hallam B; Zhang Y; Tous L, 2022, 'The role of silver in terawatt PV production - perspectives and options', Photovoltaics International, 48, https://www.pv-tech.org/technical-papers/the-role-of-silver-in-terawatt-pv-production-perspectives-and-options/
    Journal articles | 2021
    Zhang Y; Kim M; Wang L; Verlinden P; Hallam B, 2021, 'Design considerations for multi-terawatt scale manufacturing of existing and future photovoltaic technologies: Challenges and opportunities related to silver, indium and bismuth consumption', Energy and Environmental Science, 14, pp. 5587 - 5610, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d1ee01814k
    Journal articles | 2021
    Zhang Y; Wang L; Chen D; Kim M; Hallam B, 2021, 'Pathway towards 24% efficiency for fully screen-printed passivated emitter and rear contact solar cells', Journal of Physics D Applied Physics, 54, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/abe900
    Journal articles | 2020
    Chen D; Hamer P; Kim M; Chan C; Ciesla nee Wenham A; Rougieux F; Zhang Y; Abbott M; Hallam B, 2020, 'Hydrogen-induced degradation: Explaining the mechanism behind light- and elevated temperature-induced degradation in n- and p-type silicon', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 207, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2019.110353
    Journal articles | 2020
    Vicari Stefani B; Soeriyadi A; Wright M; Chen D; Kim M; Zhang Y; Hallam B, 2020, 'Large-Area Boron-Doped 1.6 Ω cm p-Type Czochralski Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells with a Stable Open-Circuit Voltage of 736 mV and Efficiency of 22.0%', Solar RRL, 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/solr.202000134
  • Conference Papers | 2024
    Cheng Y; Zhang Y; Deng S; Sun L; Dhamrin M; Tsuji K; Green M; Song N; Deng S, 2024, 'Screen-printed aluminum contact for the n-type passivated contact structure', in Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Solar Research Conference 2024, Sydney, presented at Asia Pacific Solar Research Conference 2024, Sydney, 03 December 2024 - 05 December 2024, https://www.openconf.org/APSRC2024/modules/request.php?module=oc_program&action=summary.php&id=133
    Conference Papers | 2024
    Yamaguchi M; Araki K; Ota Y; Nishioka K; Zhang Y; Hallam B; Kojima N; Ohshita Y, 2024, 'Effectiveness of the Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV) Toward TW-Scale PV Production', in Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, pp. 48 - 50, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/PVSC57443.2024.10749584
    Conference Papers | 2024
    Zhang Y; Wang S; Wang L; Sun Z; Chang A; Chen R; Chan C; Hallam B, 2024, 'Ultra-Lean Silver Screen Printing for Sustainable Terawatt-Scale Photovoltaics', Sydney, Australia, presented at Asia Pacific Solar Research Conference 2024, Sydney, Australia, 03 December 2024, https://apvi.org.au/solar-research-conference/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hallam_B_Ultra-Lean_Silver_Screen_Printing_for_Sustainable_Terawatt-Scale_Photovoltaics.pdf
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Kim M; Wang L; Zhang Y; Underwood R; Drury S; Hallam B, 2023, 'Roadmap towards sustainable SHJ solar cell design', in Aip Conference Proceedings, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0140906
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Wang L; Sun Z; Perez-Wurfl I; Chang A; Zhang Y; Pollard M; Qi F; Kim M; Chen R; Hallam B, 2023, 'Impacts of Silicon Thickness on Cell Efficiency and Sustainable Deployment for Terawatt Scale Silicon Solar Cell Production', Shenzhen, China, presented at The 34th International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference (PVSEC-34), Shenzhen, China, 06 November 2023, https://pvsec34.scievent.com/news/6924.html
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Yamaguchi M; Araki K; Zhang Y; Hallam B; Kojima N; Ohshita Y, 2023, 'Consideration for importance of concentrating photovoltaics (PV) toward TW-scale PV production', in Aip Conference Proceedings, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0146171
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Zhang Y; Wang L; Chang A; Chen R; Chan C; Hallam B, 2023, 'Silver-Lean Screen-Printed Contacts for Industrial Silicon Solar Cells', Shenzhen, China, presented at The 34th International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference (PVSEC-34), Shenzhen, China, 06 November 2023, https://pvsec34.scievent.com/news/6924.html
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Zhang Y; Wang L; Wang S; Chang A; Chen R; Dhamrin M; Tsuji K; Chan C; Hallam B, 2023, 'Roadmap towards 1 mg/W Silver Consumption for Industrial High-Efficiency Screen-Printed Silicon Solar Cells', in Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Solar Research Conference 2023, Melbourne, presented at APSRC, 2023,, Melbourne, 05 December 2023, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://apvi.org.au/solar-research-conference/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Zhang-Y-Roadmap-towards-1-mgW-Silver-Consumption-for-Industrial-High-Efficiency-Screen-Printed-Silicon-Solar-Cells.pdf
    Conference Papers | 2022
    Kim M; Zhang Y; Verlinden P; Hallam B, 2022, 'Towards Sustainable Silicon PV Manufacturing at the Terawatt Level', in AIP Conference Proceedings, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0090424
    Conference Presentations | 2022
    Wang L; Zhang Y; Kim M; Underwood R; Drury S; Hallam B; Wright M, 2022, 'Sustainability Evaluations on Material Consumption for Terawatt Scale Manufacturing of Silicon based Tandem Solar Cells', presented at TandemPV workshop 2022, 30 May 2022, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.3687
    Conference Papers | 2022
    Wang L; Zhang Y; Kim M; Wright M; Underwood R; Bonilla RS; Hallam B, 2022, 'Sustainable Material Evaluation for Silicon Based Tandem Solar Cells at Terawatt Scale Production', Milan, Italy, pp. 265 - 270, presented at WCPEC-8, Milan, Italy, 26 September 2022 - 30 September 2022, http://dx.doi.org/10.4229/WCPEC-82022-2CO.2.1
    Conference Papers | 2022
    Zhang Y; Wang L; Chen R; Chan C; Hallam B, 2022, 'Low-Area Screen Printed Contacts for Industrial Perc Solar Cells', Milan, Italy, presented at 8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (WCPEC-8), Milan, Italy, 26 September 2022, http://dx.doi.org/10.4229/WCPEC-82022-1DV.4.32
    Conference Papers | 2021
    Zhang Y; Kim M; Wang L; Dias P; Underwood R; Verlinden P; Hallam B, 2021, 'Towards Multi-TW Scale Manufacturing of PV Technologies: Challenges Related to Material Consumption', in Proceedings - ISES Solar World Congress 2021, International Solar Energy Society (ISES), pp. 62 - 71, presented at Proceedings of the ISES Solar World Congress 2021, - 29 November 2021, http://dx.doi.org/10.18086/swc.2021.04.01
    Conference Presentations | 2021
    Zhang Y; Kim M; Wang L; Dias P; Underwood R; Verlinden P; Hallam B, 2021, 'Towards Sustainable Manufacturing of Solar Energy Technologies at the Terra-Watt Scale', presented at 2021 ISES Solar World Congress, 25 October 2021 - 29 October 2021
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Chen D; Kim M; Varshney U; Sen C; Liu S; Zhang YUCHAO; Hamer P; Chong C; Ciesla A; Chan C; Chen R; Abbott M; Hallam B, 2019, 'Light and Elevated Temperature Induced Degradation (LeTID): the Past , the Present and What Lies Ahead', presented at 2019 Asia Pacific Solar Research Conference, Canberra, Australia, 02 December 2019, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/27901