2 PhD Positions on the development of nanopatterned metal-halide perovskite photovoltaics

The efficiency of hybrid metal-halide perovskite solar cells has increased impressively over the last few years. The simplicity of the fabrication process and possibility to tailor the optoelectronic properties make these devices an attractive alternative for or additive to silicon-based photovoltaics. Important challenges towards their utilization are the reproducibility and long-term stability, which parameters are largely influenced by the nanostructure.

The aim of this research is to develop intrinsically stable metal-halide perovskite films using industrially relevant nanopatterning and crystal engineering approaches, to influence and improve essential photophysical and optical parameters. We will in particular explore recently developed tools involving the use of soft lithography and 2-dimensional seed layers to guide crystal growth and orientation and control the structure on a (sub-)micrometer scale. Light-induced processes responsible for the device performance will be elucidated using ultrafast spectroscopy and microscopy.

The research will be pursued by 2 PhD-students, in close collaboration with Solliance where prototype tests will be performed, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Conversion systems, Morphotonics and Domicro. PhD-student 1 will focus on the development and analysis of nanopatterned metal-halide perovskite layers, performed in the Inorganic Materials Science group under supervision of Prof. André ten Elshof. Ph.D. student 2 will study the photophysical and optical properties of the nanopatterned films by ultrafast spectroscopy and microscopy in the PhotoCatalytic Synthesis group under supervision of Dr. Annemarie Huijser.

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2 PhD Positions on the development of nanopatterned metal-halide perovskite photovoltaics