The vision of this IRG is to drive, “Transformational improvement in solar energy conversion through fundamental materials innovation.”  There are two aspects to its strategy for realizing this vision. The first involves its core research mission directed at “Understanding, controlling and exploiting the unique properties of group IV nanostructures in photovoltaic architectures.” The second is to be an enabler acting as a “nucleation and growth point for a broad range of materials research in solar energy conversion.” The research program is directed at creating technology discontinuities that significantly shorten the time scale for solar energy to make a major contribution to world energy production. Critical to success is the Center’s integration of unique nano materials synthesis, novel characterization and computational interrogation.