WISE postdoctoral position in thin film solar cells

Published: 2023-01-27

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a long-term difference in society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has over 54,000 students, more than 7,500 employees and a turnover of around SEK 8 billion.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Ångström Laboratory provides an innovative and international research environment that can take on technical and societal challenges both now and in the future. The department has 8 divisions including Myfab, our infrastructure for cleanroom-based research.

The division of Solar Cell Technology was founded in 2020, but the solar cell activities at Uppsala University started already in 1984 and developed into a well-established research group. The Solar Cell Technology division consists of about 20 full time active researchers and will expand further in 2023. Read more here: https://www.materialvetenskap.uu.se/solar-cell-technology/

The research within the division of Solar Cell Technology is dedicated to fundamental understanding as well as development of effective and low-cost solar cells based on thin film technologies. The focus is on materials containing chalcogens such as sulfur and selenium, e.g. (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTS), but also inorganic perovskites, such as BaZrS3.

This recruitment is connected to the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability (WISE, wise-materials.org). WISE, funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, is the largest-ever investment in materials science in Sweden and will encompass major efforts at Sweden’s foremost universities over the course of 10 years. The vision is a sustainable future through materials science. Read more: https://wise-materials.org

All early-stage researchers recruited into the WISE program will be a part of the WISE Graduate School, an ambitious nationwide program of seminars, courses, research visits, and other activities to promote a strong multi-disciplinary and international network between PhD students, postdocs, researchers, and industry.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University

Project description
 The project aims at the fundamental understanding of homogeneous, heavily Ag-alloyed CIGSe in both the stoichiometric chalcopyrite (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 and Cu-poor (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)3Se5 ordered vacancy compound (OVC) phases. As these normally form a phase mixture in solar absorber films, which is believed to cause metastabilities and adversely affect solar cells, carefully repeated material deposition and thorough characterization of the resulting films are necessary. The properties to analyze include phase stability and film morphology, band gap energy and edge positions, conductivity type and doping density, light absorption and ionic mobility for dopants. All these will be studied for different alloy compositions and in relation to the conventional CIGSe within this project. The results will be cross-verified by first-principles calculations.

Duties
The duties are mainly related to fabrication of solar cell materials as well as materials characterization and publication of results.This includes synthesis of solar cell materials in the clean-room facility in the Ångström laboratory at Uppsala University, mainly using vacuum based methods and materials characterization, optical and electrical characterization.The film growth will be done using thermal co-evaporation, followed by various treatments, such as thermal annealing, alkali or other dopant layer deposition, and chemical etching. The characterization techniques will include: (i) SEM, TEM, EDS, GI-XRD, Raman scattering, XRF, and GDOES for the deposited materials; (ii) ellipsometry, spectrophotometry, and photoluminescence for optical characterization; (iii) current-voltage, quantum efficiency, capacitance-voltage, and Hall-effect measurements for electrical characterization.

Requirements
For employment on a postdoctoral position you shall have aPhD degree, or a foreign degree equivalent to PhD degree. The degree needs to be obtained by the time of the decision of employment. Those who have obtained a PhD degree three years prior to the application deadline are primarily considered for the employment. The starting point of the three-year frame period is the application deadline. Due to special circumstances, the degree may have been obtained earlier. The three-year period can be extended due to circumstances such as sick leave, parental leave, duties in labour unions, etc.

For this employment the requirement is a PhD degree in physics, materials chemistry, engineering physics, materials science or similar with focus on semiconductor materials or solar cells. We require documented knowledge and experience in synthesis and characterization of materials, preferably related to CIGS/CZTS in the form of thin films, using the techniques listed in the project description above.

We require excellent skills in oral and written English.

Additional qualifications
Experience on solar cell fabrication and characterization is a strong merit, as well as handling of vacuum equipment. Experience in materials and electrical characterization is meriting.

We require good skills in independent work, to be able to lead and execute subprojects, to have good ability for collaboration with other researchers and a structured way of working.

Instructions for applying

The applications must contain:

• A personal letter in English describing yourself, your research interests as well as why you are a good match for this position.
• CV (max. 2 pages)
• Publication list
• Copies of three publications of special relevance
• Copy of PhD exam, PhD and master level educational transcripts and other merits of relevance
• Names and contact details (address, email address and telephone number) to at least two contact persons that have accepted to be references for you. Please state you relation to these references.

The application could be written in English

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position of 2 years according to central collective agreement. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date as soon as possible or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position please contact: Professor Charlotte Platzer Björkman, [email protected] or Dr Kostiantyn V. Sopiha, [email protected]

Please submit your application by 14 Mars 2023, UFV-PA 2023/96.

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Submit your application through Uppsala University's recruitment system.

Placement: Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Type of employment: Full time , Temporary position

Pay: Individual salary

Number of positions: 1

Working hours: 100%

Town: Uppsala

County: Uppsala län

Country: Sweden

Union representative: Seko Universitetsklubben [email protected]
ST/TCO [email protected]
Saco-rådet [email protected]

Number of reference: UFV-PA 2023/96

Last application date: 2023-03-14

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