SPETRA will run 8 PhD projects, which naturally split in three groups.
Photovoltaics – 4 PhD positions (Projects 1 – 4)
2 students will investigate defects in the wide gap solar absorber material Cu(InGa)S2, a semiconductor used in super-efficient tandem solar cells. The student in Project 1 will investigate defects experimentally, mainly using photoluminescence techniques, while the student in Project 2 will use advanced first-principles simulation methods to the same end. If you have an interest in solar cells and semiconductors physics, and some experience either in the lab or in quantum-mechanical simulations, these projects may be ideal for you!
Project 1 will be supervised by Prof. Susanne Siebentritt, while Project 2 will be supervised by Prof. Ludger Wirtz.
2 students (Project 3 and Project 4) will focus on chalcogenide perovskite materials, which are abundant, non-toxic and extremely stable, making them ideal candidates for use as absorber layers for tandem and indoor photovoltaic applications. The students will investigate the synthesis of powders and thin films with the aim to characterize their opto-electronic properties and eventually fabricate functioning demonstrator devices. If you are interested in materials processing toward actual devices, these projects may be ideal for you!
Project 3 will be supervised by Prof. Phil Dale, while Project 4 will be supervised by Prof. Alex Redinger.
Sun-powered catalysis – 2 PhD positions (Projects 5 & 6)
In Project 5 a student will study combined pyro- and photo-catalysis for water splitting using ferroelectric materials. The experimental work will consist of synthesis of oxide and polymer materials, their microstructural/functional characterization, and catalytic tests. If you are interested in how Chemistry and Physics come together to power new strategies for catalysis, this project may be for you!
The student in Project 6 will design microreactors that enhance photocatalytic efficiency using porous capsules as optical traps, loaded with photocatalysts. The experimental work will involve the synthesis of suitable optical traps and photocatalysts, evaluating their performance for efficient water splitting under light irradiation. If you are interested in colloidal chemistry with a touch of nano-optics, this project may be for you!
Project 5 will be supervised by Dr. Sebastjan Glinšek, while Project 6 will be supervised by Dr. Jean-Sebastién Thomann.
Pyroelectric energy harvesting – 2 PhD positions (Projects 7 & 8)
2 students will focus on the pyroelectric effect, i.e. the change in electric polarization in response to a temperature variation. This effect can be very strong in ferroelectric materials, and it can be used to harvest energy from temperature changes. We will investigate both experimentally (Project 7) and theoretically (Project 8) the phase transitions characteristic of the thermodynamic cycles used for pyroelectric energy harvesting, looking for optimization strategies to improve efficiency. If you are interested in phase transitions and functional materials, using either experiment or theory, one of these projects may be for you!
Project 7 will be supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Defay, while Project 8 will be supervised by Prof. Jorge Íñiguez-González.