Associate Professor Fiona J Beck
PhD in Engineering, MSci in Physics
Co-lead of Renewable Fuels Research Group; Convenor of the Hydrogen Fuels Project
ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics
Areas of expertise
- Photodetectors, Optical Sensors And Solar Cells 090605
- Nanophotonics 100711
- Electrochemical Energy Storage And Conversion 400404
Research interests
A/Prof Fiona J Beck's research is focused on advancing the clean energy transition in two distinct ways: by developing new technologies to convert light into other forms of energy; and by collaboratively tackling big-picture, interdisciplinary problems that the energy sector is facing on its road to decarbonisation.
Her research interests include:
- Nanophotonic approaches to photochemistry
- Hot electron science and applications
- Solar (photoelectrochemical) hydrogen generation
- The hydrogen economy and the energy transition
Udates on Fiona's research and activities can be found on LinkedIn at Fiona J Beck and on Twitter @Fiona_J_Beck, and her publications can be found on Web of Science.
Biography
A/Prof Beck leads a research group at the School of Engineering, working to leverage a deeper understanding of light-matter interactions on the nanoscale for application in renewable energy, carbon dioxide reduction, and solar fuel applications. Her technical work has been published in high impact journals and cited >3000 times.
She is also the Convenor of the Hydrogen Fuels project for ZCEAP - ANU’s Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific, Grand Challenge, working with a transdisciplinary team from across ANU to help transform Australia into a leading exporter of renewable fuels in our region. In this role she has contributed significantly to the national conversation on new, zero-carbon industries and exports for Australia, through outreach, academic publications, submissions to government, and contributions in National and International media.
A/Prof has a background in applied physics (MSci 2006, University of Glasgow) and engineering (PhD 2011, ANU), and has previously held prestigious international fellowships including a Marie Curie Fellowship from the European Commission (IIF, 2012), and a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA, 2018) from the Australian Research Council.
Publications
- Longden, T, Beck, F, Jotzo, F et al. 2022, ''Clean' hydrogen? – Comparing the emissions and costs of fossil fuel versus renewable electricity based hydrogen', Applied Energy, vol. 306, Part B, pp. 1-14.
- Zhang, D, Li, H, Riaz, A et al. 2022, 'Unconventional direct synthesis of Ni3N/Ni with N-vacancies for efficient and stable hydrogen evolution', Energy and Environmental Science, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 185-195.
- O'Neill, L, Beck, F, Cheng, W et al. 2022, 'Renewable hydrogen will be produced on land traditionally owned by First Nations people: will its owners benefit?', Australian Environment Review, vol. 36, no. 6, pp. 149-158.
- Burke, P, Beck, F, Aisbett, E, Hunt J.et al. 2022, 'Contributing to regional decarbonization: Australia's potential to supply zero-carbon commodities to the Asia-Pacific', Energy, vol. 248, pp. 1-12.
- Fazeli, R, Stocks, M, Beck, F. J., 2022, 'Recognizing the role of uncertainties in the transition to renewable hydrogen', International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, vol. 47, Issue 56, pp. 27896-27910.
- Sharma, A, Duong, T, Liu, P et al. 2021, 'Direct solar to hydrogen conversion enabled by silicon photocathodes with carrier selective passivated contacts', Sustainable Energy & Fuels, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 349-360.
- Fazeli, R, Beck, F & Stocks, M 2021, 'Dynamics of the transition to renewable hydrogen', Proceeding of 2021 International System Dynamics Conference, International System Dynamics Conference, Chicago, USA.
- Zhang, D, Liang, W, Sharma, A et al. 2021, 'Ultrathin HfO2 passivated silicon photocathodes for efficient alkaline water splitting', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 119, no. 19, pp. 1-7.
- Wang, Y, Sharma, A, Duong, T et al. 2021, 'Direct Solar Hydrogen Generation at 20% Efficiency Using Low-Cost Materials', Advanced Energy Materials, vol. 11, no. 34, pp. 1-11.
- White, L, Fazeli, R, Cheng, W et al. 2020, 'Towards emissions certification systems for international trade in hydrogen: the policy challenge of defining boundaries for emissions accounting', Energy, vol. 215, no. A.
- Aisbett, E, Baldwin, K, Beck, F et al. 2020, Submission to Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth .
- Zhao, S, Yin, Y, Peng, J et al. 2020, 'The Importance of Schottky Barrier Height in Plasmonically Enhanced Hot-Electron Devices', Advanced Optical Materials, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 1-8.
- Karuturi*, S, Shen* (co-first author, co-corresponding author), H, Sharma, A et al. 2020, 'Over 17% Efficiency Stand-Alone Solar Water Splitting Enabled by Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Absorbers', Advanced Energy Materials, vol. 10, no. 28, pp. 1-9.
- Beck, F 2019, 'Rational Integration of Photovoltaics for Solar Hydrogen Generation', ACS Applied Energy Materials, vol. 2, no. 9, pp. 6395-6403.
- Baldwin, K, Aisbett, E, White, L, Dreise, T, Hunt, J, O'Neill, L, Thorburn, K, Riley, B, Bai, X, Peng, Y, Beck, F, Brahmadesham Venkataraman, M, Blakers, A, Stocks, M, Lu, B, Bridges, T, Purchase, R, Burke, P, Anjum, Z, 2019, Submission to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation: WA Climate Change Strategy Issues Paper.
- Jacobs, D, Shen, H, Pfeffer, F et al 2018, 'The two faces of capacitance: New interpretations for electrical impedance measurements of perovskite solar cells and their relation to hysteresis', Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 124, no. 22, pp. 1-15.
- Sharma, A & Beck, F 2018, 'Quantifying and Comparing Fundamental Loss Mechanisms to Enable Solar-to-Hydrogen Conversion Efficiencies above 20% Using Perovskite–Silicon Tandem Absorbers', Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research, vol. 2, no. 1.
- Baerhujin, C, Beck, F & Catchpole, K 2017, 'Diffuse reflectors for improving light management in solar cells: A review and outlook', Journal of Optics, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. -.
- Jacobs, D, Wu, Y, Shen, H et al. 2017, 'Hysteresis phenomena in perovskite solar cells: The many and varied effects of ionic accumulation', Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 3094-3103.
- Fu, X, Jacobs, D, Beck, F et al 2016, 'Photoluminescence study of time- and spatial-dependent light induced trap de-activation in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite films', Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, vol. 18, no. 32, pp. 22557-22564.
- Beck, F, Stavrinadis, A, Lasanta, T et al 2016, 'Understanding light trapping by resonant coupling to guided modes and the importance of the mode profile', Optics Express, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 759-772.
- Jacobs, D, Catchpole, K, Beck, F et al 2016, 'A re-evaluation of transparent conductor requirements for thin-film solar cells', Journal of Materials Chemistry A, vol. 4, no. 12, pp. 4490-4496.
- Beck, F, Lasanta, T & Konstantatos, G 2014, 'Plasmonic Schottky Nanojunctions for Tailoring the Photogeneration Profile in Thin Film Solar Cells', Advanced Optical Materials, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 493-500.
- Mihi, A, Beck, F, Lasanta, T et al 2014, 'Imprinted electrodes for enhanced light trapping in solution processed solar cells', Advanced Materials, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 443-448.
- Mokkapati, S, Beck, F, Wilson, J et al. 2014, 'Nanophotonics for Light Trapping', in Thomas Alured Faunce (ed.), Nanotechnology Toward the Sustainocene, Pan Stanford Publishing, Singapore, pp. 49-80pp.
- Beck, F, Stavrinadis, A, Diedenhofen, S et al 2014, 'Surface plasmon polariton couplers for light trapping in thin-film absorbers and their application to colloidal quantum dot optoelectronics', ACS Photonics, vol. 1, no. 11, pp. 1197-1205.
- Basch, A, Beck, F, Soderstrom, T et al 2012, 'Combined plasmonic and dielectric rear reflectors for enhanced photocurrent in solar cells', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 100, no. 24, pp. 1-5.
- Basch, A, Beck, F, Soderstrom, T et al 2012, 'Enhanced light trapping in solar cells using snow globe coating', Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, vol. 20, no. 7, pp. 837-842.
- Beck, F, Garcia de Arquer, F, Bernechea, M et al 2012, 'Electrical effects of metal nanoparticles embedded in ultra-thin colloidal quantum dot films', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 101, no. 4, pp. 1-5.
- Garcia de Arquer, F, Beck, F, Bernechea, M et al 2012, 'Plasmonic light trapping leads to responsivity increase in colloidal quantum dot photodetectors', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 100, no. 4, pp. 1-4.
- Beck, F, Mokkapati, S & Catchpole, K 2011, 'Nanoplasmonics for light trapping in solar cells', in D. Kane, A. Micolich, J. Rabau (ed.), Nanotechnology in Australia: Showcase of Early Career Research, Pan Stanford Publishing, Singapore, pp. 41-80.
- Catchpole, K, Mokkapati, S, Beck, F et al 2011, 'Plasmonics and nanophotonics for photovoltaics', MRS Bulletin, vol. 36, no. 6, pp. 461-467pp.
- Garcia de Arquer, F, Beck, F & Konstantatos, G 2011, 'Absorption Enhancement in Solution Processed Metal-Semiconductor Nanocomposites', Optics Express, vol. 19, no. 21, pp. 21038-21049.
- Beck, F, Verhagen, E, Mokkapati, S et al 2011, 'Resonant SPP modes supported by discrete metal nanoparticles on high-index substrates', Optics Express, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. A146-A156.
- Beck, F, Mokkapati, S & Catchpole, K 2011, 'Light trapping with plasmonic particles: beyond the dipole model', Optics Express, vol. 19, no. 25, pp. 25230-25241.
- Mokkapati, S, Beck, F, de Waele, R et al 2011, 'Resonant nano-antennas for light trapping in plasmonic solar cells', Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, vol. 44, no. 18, p. 9.
- Pillai, S, Beck, F, Catchpole, K et al 2011, 'The effect of dielectric spacer thickness on surface plasmon enhanced solar cells for front and rear side depositions', Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 109, no. 7, pp. 073105-1-073105-8.
- K.R. Catchpole, S. Mokkapati, F.J. Beck. 2011, 'Comparing nanowire, multijunction, and single junction solar cells in the presence of light trapping', Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 109, no. 8, pp. 084519.
- S. Mokkapati, F. J. Beck and K. R. Catchpole, 'Analytical approach for design of blazed dielectric gratings for light trapping in solar cells', Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 44, 055103, 2011
- Ouyang, Z, Pillai, S, Beck, F et al 2010, 'Effective light trapping in polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells by means of rear localized surface plasmons', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 96, no. 26, pp. 1-3.
- Beck, F, Mokkapati, S & Catchpole, K 2010, 'Plasmonic light-trapping for Si solar cells using self-assembled, Ag nanoparticles', Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, vol. 18, no. 7, pp. 500-504.
- Beck, F, Mokkapati, S, Polman, A et al 2010, 'Asymmetry in photocurrent enhancement by plasmonic nanoparticle arrays located on the front or on the rear of solar cells', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 96, no. 3, pp. 1-3.
- Gibson, G, Barron, L, Beck, F et al 2007, 'Optically controlled grippers for manipulating micron-sized particles', New Journal of Physics, vol. 9, pp. -.
- Mokkapati, S, Beck, F, Polman, A et al 2009, 'Designing periodic arrays of metal nanoparticles for light-trapping applications in solar cells', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 95, pp. 053115/1-3.
- Ouyang, Z, Beck, F, Kunz, O et al 2009, 'Enhanced photocurrent in evaporated solid-phase-crystallised poly-SI thin-film solar cells using rear surface plasmons', European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference EUPVSEC 2009, ed. W. Sinke, H.Ossenbrink, P.Helm, WIP-Renewable Energies, Germany, p. 3.
- Beck, F, Polman, A & Catchpole, K 2009, 'Tunable light trapping for solar cells using localized surface plasmons', Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 105, pp. 114310/1-7.
- Beck, F, Mokkapati, S, Polman, A et al 2009, 'Light Trapping For Solar Cells Using Localised Surface Plasmons in Self-Assembled Ag Nanoparticles', European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference EUPVSEC 2009, ed. W. Sinke, H.Ossenbrink, P.Helm, WIP-Renewable Energies, Germany, p. 4.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- HILT.RP2.006 - Hydrogen Supply within HILT Regional Hubs H2 Cost and Synergistic Opportunities (Secondary Investigator)
- HILT.RP2.001 - Green hydrogen supply modelling for industry (Secondary Investigator)
- ANU Solar Hydrogen Generation R&D Project (Secondary Investigator)
- Plasmonic hot-electron technologies for nanoscale energy conversion (Primary Investigator)
