Anthony William Catalano
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| Anthony William Catalano | |
|---|---|
[[File:acatalano.p
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| Born | February 1947 Brooklyn, NY USA |
| 🏳️ Nationality | U.S. |
| 🏫 Education | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| 🎓 Alma mater | Brown University |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Compound Semiconductors,Thin Film Solar Cells, Amorphous silicon, LED Lighting |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Patricia Marie Sutton |
Anthony Catalano is a U. S. Scientist and entrepreneur who fabricated and reported the first amorphous silicon solar cell exceeding 10%, investigated new compound semiconductors for low cost, thin film solar cells, led US solar cell research at a National Laboratory and founded several companies.
Early life and career[edit]
Anthony Catalano was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Ocean County, NJ. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1968, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Brown University in 1972 where he also served as a Postdoc until 1974. He then joined the Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC) at the University of Delaware where he studied Cu(2-x)S/CdS devices.[1] He also prepared and characterized the electrical and optical properties of the II3V2 compound semiconductor Zn3P2 and prepared solar cells using the material for the first time.[2] [3] In 1980 Dr. Catalano accepted a position at RCA's David Sarnoff Research Center. He was engaged there in the worldwide race to develop amorphous silicon solar cells with >10% efficiency. He was the first to do this in 1982, reporting the results at the PVSEC meeting in San Diego for which he received a standing ovation, and later received an RCA Outstanding Achievement Award for the accomplishment. [4][5][6]The Philadelphia Inquirer compared this to running the mile in under 4 minutes or breaking the sound barrier.[7]
In 1983 RCA spun off its amorphous silicon solar cell technology to the Solarex Corporation. Dr. Catalano joined David E. Carlson, the inventor, in setting up the Thin Film Division of Solarex in Newtown, PA to commercialize the technology. He later became the Director of Research and initiated work on amorphous silicon carbide thin film transistors and flat panel displays. [8] Beginning in 1992, Dr. Catalano served as the Director of the Photovoltaic Division of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)in Golden, CO, overseeing the bulk of the Federal R&D funding both within the National Laboratory and that supported through external contracts and grants to Universities and corporate researchers. After leaving the Laboratory in 1996, he founded the Technology Assessment Group, a consulting company, to advise investors in photovoltaics, and provide expert testimony in intellectual property disputes.
In 2003 Dr. Catalano recognized that white LEDs were a disruptive innovation and founded Terralux Inc., in his garage to commercialize LED lighting. The first products were designed to replace the incandescent bulbs in low voltage applications. Terralux also produced its own brand of portable lighting products which proved highly popular and led to other companies approaching them to design and manufacture products as an OEM producer. Terralux thus became the designer and manufacturer for many much larger organizations providing electrical and optical designs using US-based engineering staff, while providing Asia-based manufacturing of their designs. The company grew quickly, reaching approximately $10M in revenue.[9] Terralux was named as the "High Impact Company of the Year" by the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association in 2015 for its energy efficient lighting products.[10]
Publications[edit]
Dr Catalano has more than 100 technical publications and over 50 US patents.[11][12]
References[edit]
- ↑ Wyeth, N. Convers; Catalano, A. (1976). "Variation of Short Circuit Current Spectal Response with Cu 2−xS Composition in Thin Film Photovoltaic Cells". Proceedings of the 12th IEEE PV Specialist Conf.: 471.
- ↑ Catalano, A.; Hall, R. B. (1980). "Defect Dominated Conductivity in Zn3P2". J. Phys. Chem. Sol. 41: 635.
- ↑ Catalano, A.; Wyeth, N. Convers; Masi, J. V. (1979). "Schottky Barrier Grid Devices on Zn3P2". Proceedings of the 2nd E.C. Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Berlin, Germany: 440.
- ↑ Catalano, A.; D'Aiello, R. V.; Dresner, J.; Faughnan, B.; Firester, A.; Kane, J.; Schade, H.; Smith, Z. E.; Schwartz, G.; Triano, A. (1982). "Attainment of 10% Conversion Efficiency in Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells". Proceedings of the 16th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, San Diego, California: 1421.
- ↑ Parker, Gordon (July 27, 1982). "Breakthrough at RCA will mean low-cost sun-generated electricity". Trenton Times. p. D6.
- ↑ Green, Stephen (October 1, 1982). "RCA Breakthrough on Photovoltaic cell". Sacramento Bee. p. 29.
- ↑ Knox, Andrea (July 31, 1982). "Bringing Solar Cell Costs Down to Earth". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D7.
- ↑ Catalano, A.; Newton, J.; Trafford, M. (1989). "a-Si1−xCx:H Based Transistor Performance and the relationship to Electrical and Optical Properties". IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices. 36 (12): 2839.
- ↑ "Portable Lighting".
- ↑ Castle, Shay (November 12, 2015). "Boulder County businesses sweep Cleantech Awards". Daily Camera.
- ↑ "Anthony Catalano". ResearchGate.
- ↑ "Anthony Catalano Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com.
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