Jeffrey M. Gordon 
Professor

Born 1949. B.A. and M.A. Columbia Univ. Ph.D. Brown Univ. (1976)

Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics
Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus 84990, Israel

Tel: +972-8-659-6923 Fax: +972-8-659-6921 e-mail: jeff@bgu.ac.il

Last updated: 9/9/2010

Current Principal Research and Teaching Interests

A) Light-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials

B) Physics and characterization of ultra-efficient solar cells

C) Photovoltaic concentration with miniaturized optics

D) Optical concentration at the thermodynamic limit

E) Illumination optics and radiometry

Space does not permit a full description of these projects, and I earnestly invite correspondence. The following recent publications are representative (PDF-format reprints are available upon request):

Nanomaterial synthesis by ultra-bright non-coherent light

I. Wiesel, H. Arbel, A. Albu-Yaron, R. Popovitz-Biro, J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann & R. Tenne (2009) "Synthesis of WS₂ and MoS₂ fullerene-like nanoparticles from solid precursors", Nano Research 2, 416-424.

J.M. Gordon, E.A. Katz, D. Feuermann, A. Albu-Yaron, M. Levy & R. Tenne (2008) "Singular MoS₂, SiO₂ and Si nanostructures and synthesis by solar ablation", Journal of Materials Chemistry 18, 458-462.

A. Albu-Yaron, T. Arad, M. Levy, R. Popovitz-Biro, R. Tenne, J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann, E.A. Katz, M. Jansen & C. Mühle (2006) "Synthesis of fullerene-like Cs₂O nanoparticles by concentrated sunlight". Advanced Materials 18, 2993-2996 (+Erratum, ibid 18, 3199).

J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann, M. Huleihil & E.A. Katz (2004) "New optical systems for the solar generation of nanomaterials". SPIE Proc. 5185, 99-108.

Concentrator photovoltaics and advanced solar optics

A. Goldstein & J.M. Gordon (2010) "Double-tailored nonimaging reflector optics for maximum-performance solar concentration", Journal of the Optical Society of America A 27, 1977-1984.

J.M. Gordon (2010) "Aplanatic optics for solar concentration", Optics Express 18, A41-A52.

N. Ostroumov, J.M. Gordon & D. Feuermann (2009) "Panorama of dual-mirror aplanats for maximum concentration", Applied Optics 48, 4926-4931.

A. Braun, B. Hirsch, E.A. Katz, J.M. Gordon, W. Guter & A. Bett (2009) "Localized radiation effects on tunnel diode transitions in multi-junction concentrator solar cells", Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 93, 1692-1695.

J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann & P. Young (2008) "Unfolded aplanats for high-concentration photovoltaics", Optics Letters 33, 1114-1116.

J.M. Gordon (2007) "Concentrator optics". Chapter 6 in Concentrating Photovoltaics, Edited by A. Luque & V. Andreev (Springer, Heidelberg) pp. 113-132.

O. Korech, J.M. Gordon, E.A. Katz, D. Feuermann & N. Eisenberg (2007) "Dielectric micro-concentrators for efficiency enhancement in concentrator solar cells". Optics Letters 32, 2789-2791.

O. Korech, B. Hirsch, E.A. Katz & J.M. Gordon (2007) "High-flux characterization of ultrasmall multijunction concentrator solar cells". Applied Physics Letters 91, 064101.

E.A. Katz, J.M. Gordon, W. Tassew & D. Feuermann (2006) "Photovoltaic characterization of concentrator cells by localized irradiation", Journal of Applied Physics 100, 044514 (2006).

E.A. Katz, J.M. Gordon & D. Feuermann (2006) "Effects of ultra-high flux and intensity distribution in multi-junction solar cells". Progress in Photovoltaics 14, 297-303.

R. Winston & J.M. Gordon (2005) "Planar concentrators near the étendue limit". Optics Letters 30, 2617-2619.

J.M. Gordon, E.A. Katz, W. Tassew & D. Feuermann (2005) "Photovoltaic hysteresis and its ramifications for concentrator solar cell design and diagnostics". Applied Physics Letters 86, 073508.

J. Sun, T. Israeli, T.A. Reddy, K. Scoles, J.M. Gordon & D. Feuermann (2005) "Modeling and experimental evaluation of passive heat sinks for miniature high-flux photovoltaic concentrators". Journal of Solar Energy Engineering 127, 138-145.

D. Feuermann, J.M. Gordon, S. Horne, G. Conley & R. Winston (2005) "Realization of compact, passively-cooled, high-flux photovoltaic prototypes", SPIE Proc. 5942, 250-255.

J.M. Gordon & D. Feuermann (2005) "Optical performance at the thermodynamic limit with tailored imaging designs". Applied Optics 44, 2327-2331.

J.M. Gordon, E.A. Katz, D. Feuermann & M. Huleihil (2004) "Toward ultra-high-flux photovoltaic concentration". Applied Physics Letters 84, 3642-3644.

D. Feuermann, J.M. Gordon & M. Huleihil (2002) "Solar fiber-optic mini-dish concentrators: first experimental results and field experience". Solar Energy 72, 459-472 (+ Erratum, ibid 73, 73).

D. Feuermann, J.M. Gordon & M. Huleihil (2002) "Light leakage in optical fibers: experimental results, modeling and the consequences for solar concentrators". Solar Energy 72, 195-204.

D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (2001) "High-concentration photovoltaic designs based on miniature parabolic dishes". Solar Energy 70, 423-430.

D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (1999) "Solar fiber-optic mini-dishes: a new approach to the efficient collection of sunlight". Solar Energy 65, 159-170.

H. Ries, J.M. Gordon & M. Lasken (1997) "High-flux photovoltaic solar concentrators with kaleidoscope-based optical designs". Solar Energy 60, 11-16.

R.P. Friedman & J.M. Gordon (1996) "New optical designs for ultra-high flux infrared and solar energy collection: monolithic dielectric tailored edge-ray concentrators". Applied Optics 35, 6684-6691.

For a solar technology overview: http://cms.ises.org/bookshop/pages/displayBook.xsp?id=3

Illumination Optics and Radiometry

A. Braun & J.M. Gordon (2010) "Analytic solution for quasi-lambertian radiation transfer", Applied Optics 49, 817-822.

D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (2008) "High-irradiance reactors with unfolded aplanatic optics", Applied Optics 47, 5722-5727.

D. Nakar, A. Malul, D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (2008) "Radiometric characterization of ultra-high radiance xenon short-arc discharge lamps", Applied Optics 47, 224-229.

A. Malul, D. Nakar, D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (2007) "Light recycling characteristics of ultrabright lamps", Optics Express 15, 14194-14201.

D. Feuermann, J.M. Gordon & T.W. Ng (2006) "Near-field dielectric optics near the thermodynamic limit". Optical Engineering 45, 080504.

D. Nakar, D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (2006) "Aplanatic near-field optics for efficient light transfer". Optical Engineering 45, 030502.

D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (1998) "Optical performance of axisymmetric edge-ray concentrators and illuminators". Applied Optics 37, 1905-1912.

D. Feuermann, J.M. Gordon & H. Ries (1998) "Nonimaging optical designs for maximum power density remote irradiation". Applied Optics 37, 1835-1844.

J.M. Gordon & A. Rabl (1998) "Reflectors for uniform far-field irradiance: fundamental limits and example of an axisymmetric solution". Applied Optics 37, 44-47.

P.T. Ong, J.M. Gordon & A. Rabl (1996) "Tailored edge-ray designs for illumination with tubular sources". Applied Optics 35, 4361-4371.

Surgery with ultra-bright non-coherent light

J.M. Gordon, R. Shaco-Levy, D. Feuermann, J. Ament & S. Mizrahi (2006) "Fiberoptic surgery by ultrabright lamp light". Journal of Biomedical Optics 11, 050509.

J.M. Gordon, R. Shaco-Levy, D. Feuermann, M. Huleihil & S. Mizrahi (2006) "Photothermally induced delayed tissue death". Journal of Biomedical Optics 11, 030504.

D. Feuermann, J.M. Gordon & T.W. Ng (2006) "Photonic surgery with noncoherent light". Applied Physics Letters 88, 114104.

R. Shaco-Levy, J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann, M. Huleihil & S. Mizrahi (2004) "On appropriate pathology for photothermal surgery". Lasers in Surgery & Medicine 35, 28-34.

J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann, M. Huliehil, S. Mizrahi & R. Shaco-Levy (2003) "Surgery by sunlight on live animals". Nature 424, 510.

J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann, M. Huleihil, S. Mizrahi & R. Shaco-Levy (2003) "Solar surgery". Journal of Applied Physics 93, 4843-4851.

J.M. Gordon, D. Feuermann & M. Huleihil (2002) "Laser surgical effects with concentrated solar radiation". Applied Physics Letters 81, 2653-2655.

D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (1998) "Solar surgery: remote fiber-optic irradiation with highly concentrated sunlight in lieu of lasers". Optical Engineering 37, 2760-2767.

Biotechnology and more Biomedical Optics

J.M. Gordon & J.E.W. Polle (2007) "Ultrahigh bioproductivity from algae". Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 76, 969-975.

J.M. Gordon (2002) "Tailoring optical systems to optimized photobioreactors". International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 27, 1175-1184.

D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (2001) "Gradient index rods as flux concentrators with applications to laser fiber-optic surgery". Optical Engineering 40, 418-425.

J.M. Gordon (2000) "Spherical gradient-index lenses as perfect imaging and maximum power transfer devices". Applied Optics 39, 3825-3832.

J.M. Gordon (1998) "Nonimaging optical designs for laser fiberoptic surgery". Optical Engineering 37, 539-542.

Y. Fang, D. Feuermann & J.M. Gordon (1997) "Maximum-performance fiber optic irradiation with nonimaging designs". Applied Optics 36, 7107-7113.

Desalination

N. Fraidenraich, O.C. Vilela, G.A. Lima & J.M. Gordon (2009) "Reverse osmosis desalination: modeling and experiment", Applied Physics Letters 94, 124102.

Physics and engineering of cooling

H.T. Chua, X. Wang & J.M. Gordon (2004) "Thermionic and tunneling cooling thermodynamics". Applied Physics Letters 84, 3999-4001.

J.M. Gordon, K.C. Ng, H.T. Chua & A. Chakraborty (2002) "The electro-adsorption chiller: a miniaturized cooling cycle with applications to micro-electronics". International Journal of Refrigeration 25, 1025-1033.

H.T. Chua, K.C. Ng, X.C. Xuan, C. Yap & J.M. Gordon (2002) "Temperature-entropy formulation of thermoelectric thermodynamic cycles". Physical Review E 65, 056111.

J.P. Palao, R. Kosloff & J.M. Gordon (2001) "Quantum thermodynamic cooling cycle". Physical Review E 64, 056130.

R. Kosloff, E. Geva & J.M. Gordon (2000) "Quantum refrigerators in quest of the absolute zero". Journal of Applied Physics 87, 8093-8097.

B.K. Ahlborn & J.M. Gordon (2000) "The vortex tube as a classic thermodynamic refrigeration cycle". Journal of Applied Physics 88, 3645-3653.

J.M. Gordon, K.C. Ng & H.T. Chua (1999) "Simple thermodynamic diagrams for real refrigeration systems". Journal of Applied Physics 85, 641-646.

K.C. Ng, H.T. Chua, K. Tu, J.M. Gordon, T. Kashiwagi, A. Akisawa & B.B. Saha (1998) "The role of internal dissipation and process average temperature in chiller performance and diagnostics". Journal of Applied Physics 83, 1831-1836.

You are invited to inspect our book, COOL THERMODYNAMICS (2000) by Jeffrey M. Gordon & Kim Choon Ng, at the publishers web page http://www.cisp.freeuk.com/thermodynamics.htm

Discount copies can be purchased directly from the author (jeff@bgu.ac.il)

Curriculum Development: graduate courses

Non-imaging Optics, Zoological Physics, Radiative Transfer, Solar Energy

Current graduate research students:

Baruch Hirsch (PhD), Avi Braun (PhD), Dotan Babai (MSc), Alex Goldstein (MSc), Efrat Greenwald (MSc), Natalia Ostroumov (MSc), Heylal Mashal (MSc), Dr. Alexis Vossier (post-doctoral fellow, from the University of Perpignan, France) and Dr. Koushik Majhi (post-doctoral fellow, from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India)

Current principal collaborations with universities abroad:

1) Columbia University, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (New York, NY) – Gradient-index optics for innovations in concentrator photovoltaics (Prof. Vijay Modi)

2) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nuclear Reactor Laboratory (Cambridge, MA) – Novel neutron optics for achieving maximum flux density (Dr. Boris Khaykovich)

Current Funded Research

(1) Concentrator photovoltaics and device characterization

(2) Solar concentration at the thermodynamic limit for power generation

The inter-disciplinary research efforts portrayed above engender exciting challenges both at a fundamental level and in translating them into pragmatic realities. We extend an invitation to interested graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and visiting scientists to join us in these programs.