Academic spotlight: Vladimir Bulovic

In the realm of cutting-edge technology, we're witnessing the mind-blowing possibilities being brought to life in the lab of MIT's eminent Professor Vladimir Bulovic. This visionary, with his roots in multiple startups and over 75 patents, is always about pushing the envelope. As the Fariborz Maseeh Chair in Emerging Technology at MIT's School of Engineering, he's more than just a scientist - he's an innovator, an entrepreneur, and an educator extraordinaire.

From see-through solar cells gracing the lenses of your glasses to tiny switches operated by squeezable molecules, and even efficient television displays as vibrant as Mother Nature herself, these are but a glimpse of what Bulovic's lab is brewing up. "Basic science discoveries lead us to devices that can exceed the state-of-the-art performances," he confidently remarks.

One of the main drivers for Bulovic's research is energy efficiency. He dreams of reducing the energy consumption of today's technologies by a factor of two, which could have a significant impact on the world's energy usage. That's not all! He aims to slash the electricity used to power lightbulbs by the same factor, enhancing overall energy savings.

Bulovic's Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Lab (ONE Lab) is a bustling hub of 18 students and postdoctoral associates, but it isn't just their home - it's their battlefield. Every student in the lab plays a key role in its operation, working together as a unified team.

His team's research encompasses a wide range of applications, from solar cells to LEDs, lasers, chemosensors, and mechanical actuators. They don't just stop at applying the principles - they delve deep, combining their expertise in electricity, magnetism, and quantum mechanics with the crafty use of nanomaterials. They test their devices, learn from their failures, refine their physical principles, and design new, improved structures.

One of their significant achievements is the development of renewable energy technologies that can be manufactured at scale. Last year, Bulovic and his collaborators set a new record, with quantum-dot solar cells boasting an efficiency of 8.55%. They demonstrated a fabrication process that doesn't require an inert atmosphere or high temperatures for its active layers, with the exception of electrodes.

Bulovic and his team also showed off a new solar technology that uses molecular films, making these solar cells optically transparent, practically invisible. These transparent solar cells can power e-readers or provide electricity to future office buildings by coating their windows. If you can imagine it, Bulovic envisions coatings for eyeglasses that power Bluetooth radios or hearing aids from available light, as simple as painting a surface.

Mechanical engineering whiz Farnaz Niroui, a student in Bulovic's lab, has taken things a step further with her research on electromechanical switches. She's been working on nano-scale deformations of thin films of molecules to control current passage through such switches. Her latest work expands on her earlier work on squeezable switches - or "squitches" - which allow current to tunnel, or flow, from one electrode to another without any physical contact between the electrodes (the "on" position). When the pressure is released, the molecules spring back, opening the gap between the electrodes, preventing current flow (the "off" position). The goal is to develop a fast-acting, low-power switch that can complement or replace switches in transistor-based systems.

Thanks to the work of Bulovic and his team, the world is on the cusp of a new era of energy-efficient innovation. Breakthrough technologies like transparent solar cells emerge from fresh perspectives on old problems. As Bulovic explains, "Often, solar cell efficiencies are cited as the one metric that you need to push forward to advance the technology, and that is true, as efficiency is a very important metric. However, it is also important to notice that there are other solar technology properties one can advance to deliver impact."

Keep an eye out for next-generation solar technologies, lightweight solar cells, and innovative energy-efficient devices. The future is looking brighter - and more efficient - than ever before!

In the realm of cutting-edge technology, Professor Vladimir Bulovic's lab at MIT, a prolific innovator, entrepreneur, and educator, is revolutionizing various sectors with mind-blowing possibilities.
The lab's research, led by Bulovic with over 75 patents, includes see-through solar cells, efficient television displays, and tiny switches operated by squeezable molecules.
Energy efficiency is a primary focus for Bulovic, aiming to reduce energy consumption of today's technologies by half and slash the electricity used by lightbulbs by the same factor.
Bulovic's Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Lab (ONE Lab) is buzzing with 18 students and postdoctoral associates, working tirelessly as a unified team to create groundbreaking devices.
The lab's applications span solar cells, LEDs, lasers, chemosensors, and mechanical actuators, with researchers combining expertise in electricity, magnetism, quantum mechanics, and nanomaterials.
In 2020, Bulovic's team set a new record with quantum-dot solar cells achieving an efficiency of 8.55%, and they demonstrated a manufacturing process requiring neither inert atmosphere nor high temperatures.
Bulovic's team unveiled a new solar technology utilizing molecular films, producing optically transparent, essentially invisible solar cells that can power devices like e-readers and provide electricity to buildings.
Mechanical engineering student Farnaz Niroui, under Bulovic's guidance, has explored electromechanical switches and nano-scale deformations of thin films of molecules to control current passage.
Niroui's research on squeezable switchescould lead to fast-acting, low-power switches that could replace transistor-based system switches.
As Bulovic points out, solar cell efficiencies are crucial, but advancing other solar technology properties can also deliver significant impact.
Keep a close watch for next-generation solar technologies, lightweight solar cells, and innovative energy-efficient devices emerging from Bulovic's groundbreaking research.
The transformation of energy-efficient innovation is upon us, with breakthroughs like transparent solar cells leading the charge.
In the realm of nanotechnology, startups, and graduate-level research, Bulovic's lab is pushing the boundaries of academia and business, fostering entrepreneurship and technology-driven innovation on campus.
Bulovic's far-reaching influence extends beyond academia, with his work attracting the attention of venture capitalists, policymakers, and science enthusiasts alike.
As the prestigious Fariborz Maseeh Chair in Emerging Technology at MIT, Bulovic is a beacon of high-impact engineering, research, and education in the field of materials, science, physics, and technology, driving advancements in energy, finance, and business ventures for the betterment of our world.