Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America) has announced its 2024 list of Optica Fellows. Distinguished Professor Fang-Chen Chen from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University has been recognized for his exceptional contributions to the field of organic optoelectronic devices, particularly for the development of high-performance solar cells. This prestigious honor reflects the high regard of the selection committee for Professor Chen’s achievements. He is formally recognized in August 2024 at the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Pacific Rim (CLEO-PR) in South Korea. His citation for the Optica Fellow is “For contributions to the fields of organic optoelectronics, particularly for innovative application of structures and materials into photovoltaic devices”.
Professor Fang-Chen Chen has served as both Chair and Vice Chair of the Department of Photonics, dedicating his career to the development of innovative high-performance organic and organic-inorganic hybrid optoelectronic devices and materials. His research spans a wide range of topics, including solar cells, organic thin-film transistors, organic photodetectors, organic light-emitting diodes, perovskite quantum dots, and their related applications. Professor Chen’s outstanding contributions have earned him numerous prestigious awards and honors, both domestically and internationally. These include his election as a 2024 Optica Fellow, recognition as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 2021, and repeated inclusion in Elsevier’s Top 2% Scientists list based on Stanford University’s global rankings. Additionally, he received the Pan Wen Yuan Foundation’s 2021 IoT Innovation Award, the 2020 Y. Z. Hsu Scientific Paper Award, and the 2008 Award for Junior Research Investigators of Academia Sinica.
Professor Chen has devoted over 20 years to advancing solar cell technologies, beginning with his doctoral research on the development of polymer solar cells. After returning to Taiwan, he delved into methods for enhancing solar cell efficiency by utilizing the surface plasmon resonance of metal nanoparticles and exploring related mechanisms. Recently, he has expanded his research to perovskite solar cells and high-performance indoor photovoltaic technologies. Among Professor Chen’s groundbreaking innovations is the invention of waveguideing solar cell technology, which led to the establishment of a spin-off company, Flexwave Co., Ltd. The products developed with this technology achieve exceptional optical harvesting efficiency, improving light collection for solar modules while demonstrating superior performance under low-light and high-incident-angle conditions.
These advancements have practical applications in industrial IoT (Internet of Things), addressing energy supply challenges within IoT systems. One notable example is the integration of the waveguide solar cell technology into smart bike-sharing platforms. Solar modules featuring this technology power IoT-enabled bike systems, supporting functionalities like location tracking and payment processing directly on the bike’s control unit. This innovation eliminates the need for external power sources, with solar modules efficiently harvesting energy to sustain their operations. Professor Chen’s contributions not only enhance IoT product sustainability but also significantly bolster their environmental and renewable energy value, aligning with global goals for green technology and sustainable development.
The Optica Society (formerly the Optical Society of America, OSA) is the largest international academic organization in the field of optics-related research. Each year, following a rigorous selection process, the society elects Fellows from its members, recognizing individuals with outstanding achievements and significant contributions to optical research.