PhD student (f/m/d) in the field of chemistry, physics, material science or engineering

Reference No.: SE 2021/3

The Helmholtz International Research School "Hybrid Integrated Systems for Conversion of Solar Energy" (HI-SCORE) is announcing one PhD position. HI-SCORE is organized together with Israeli Institutes of Higher Learning (Weizmann Inst. of Science, Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Bar-Ilan Univ., Technion-Israel Inst. of Technol., Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem) as partner institutions. Within the scope of HI-SCORE, the candidate will participate in the program of the research school HI-SCORE at HZB, which includes spending about 6 months of the PhD research working with one or more of the participating Israeli groups in Israel.

HI-SCORE acts as a connecting platform for the various participating graduate schools (e.g. HyPerCells, MatSEC), linking those PhD projects which deal with novel wide-bandgap absorbers in highly efficient tandem devices for the solar generation of electricity and fuels. The additional benefit for the participants of HI-SCORE is a true binational mentoring and supervision structure.

This PhD project is conceptualized to work between three HZB units: the Young Investigator Group 'Hybrid Materials Formation and Scaling’ (Dr. Eva Unger), the Department 'Active Materials and Interfaces for Stable Perovskite Solar Cells' (Dr. Antonio Abate) and the Department 'Spins in Energy Conversion and Quantum Information Science’ (Dr. Rowan MacQueen). The goal of the PhD thesis work is the investigation and mitigation of defects in metal-halide perovskite semiconductors. Studies will be carried out on thin-film samples prepared in the HySPRINT innovation lab as well as nanowires from the Israeli collaborator Prof. Ernesto Joselevich's group at the Weizmann Institute, Israel. For the investigation of defects, a combination of time- and temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy, nano electrical measurements, surface photo voltage measurements and electron spin resonance techniques will be utilized. Sample properties will be related to the performance of solar cell devices. The main goal of the PhD thesis work is to develop bulk and surface-passivation strategies to suppress the existence, formation and migration of ionic defects. Nano-electrical measurements will be carried out on single nanowire devices to investigate the effect of ionic defect redistribution on the charge carrier lifetime.

Topic of the doctoral thesis: Defect mitigation in hybrid perovskite samples

Your tasks

• Sample preparation using solution- and vacuum-based chemical deposition methods
• In-depth development and implementation of correlative spectroscopic methods for nanomaterials, especially confocal scanning probe and photoluminescence techniques
• Planning and performing experiments (in labs and at synchrotron radiation sources)
• Documentation and dissemination of experimental outcomes and their results
• Research project management

Your profile

• Completed diploma or master’s degree in chemistry, physics, material science or engineering
• Deep expertise in surface and semiconductor physics as well as optical spectroscopy
• Experience in the usage of UHV-equipment and synchrotron radiation sources
• Organizing ability, intercultural competence, excellent communication skills
• Ability to work in a team and a high level of self-reliance are a must

Your benefits at HZB

• You will be part of one of the largest non-university research institutions in Berlin, which is an international, multi-faceted organization that offers access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure and promotes networking and exchange within the Helmholtz Association and beyond
• An interdisciplinary, collegial and supportive work environment
• Work-life balance through flexible working hours, mobile working (up to 3 days/week), and consultation services on compatibility issues
• 30 days paid leave
• Offers of professional development through internal and external training opportunities
• Extensive social benefits, e.g. company pension scheme, company health management, company sports etc.
• and a diverse, motivated team that is looking forward to working with you!

Fixed term contract for 36 months. The salary is based on the Collective Agreement for the German Public Service (TVöD-Bund).
How to apply
We look forward to receiving your application via our application management system by 30.09.2021. For reasons of data protection regulations, we are unfortunately unable to consider applications that reach us by email or by mail in the application process.

We strive to increase the proportion of female employees and are therefore particularly pleased to receive applications from women. Disabled applicants with equal aptitude are given preference.

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