Tradition of non-crystalline semiconductors research
The tradition of research on amorphous semiconductors in this group was started already by Prof. Jan Tauc, Honorary fellow of the Learned Society of the Czech Republic, known for example for the Tauc plot. The laboratory was later led by Aleš Tříska, credited with explaining the role of hydrogen in defect passivation in amorphous silicon. The present head of the department, Jan Kočka, together with Milan Vaněček introduced the constant photocurrent method for measurements of defect concentration in silicon thin films. The results on the defect spectroscopy, light-induced degradation and the role of hydrogen have contributed to the present use of the silicon thin films in LCD displays, solar cells and other applications.