Undergraduate Internships
Royce Undergraduate Internship in Energy Materials and Photovoltaic Devices
Application deadline: 23:59h on 19 June 2024 (Email to: krishanu.dey@physics.ox.ac.uk)
Project duration: 8 weeks (5 August – 27 September 2024)
This is a paid internship funded by the Henry Royce Institute. The intern needs to be in the 3rd year of their undergraduate course (Physics/Chemistry/Materials Science/Engineering) and can be based in any university across the UK. The intern will work under the supervision of Dr Krishanu Dey (Krish), a postdoctoral researcher in the group and also a Junior Research Fellow in Worcester College, Oxford.
Title of the project:
Rational understanding of diammonium halides as interfacial and bulk passivation agents for perovskite solar cells.
Project description:
Possessed with remarkable optoelectronic properties, metal halide perovskite materials are seen as strong contenders and a potential competitor to the current industrial standard silicon technology for next-generation photovoltaics. Much of this surge in efficiencies in the last few years has been attributed to the appropriate passivation of different types of defects in the bulk of the perovskite absorber layer as well as at the interfaces with charge selective layers. In this direction, the family of monoammonium halides have been very popular both in terms of forming passivating organic overlayers on the absorber layer as well as forming 2D perovskite domains as passivation agents in the bulk or at the interfaces. However, fundamental understanding and development of the corresponding diammonium halides as the means of defect passivation in perovskite solar cells are yet limited.
Therefore, the proposed objectives of the project are mentioned below.
1. Understanding the effect of the length of carbon chain in aliphatic diammonium iodides on their passivation potential in bromide-free standard bandgap (1.5-1.6 eV) perovskite solar cells.
2. Investigating the impact of bromide contents in the perovskite composition on the choice of suitable diammonium halide (iodide/bromide) passivation for mixed-halide perovskite solar cells with tunable bandgaps (1.6-2 eV).
Student will learn:
1. Fabrication of perovskite thin films and solar cells using various approaches (spin coating/thermal evaporation).
2. Optical characterization of perovskite thin films using absorption, photoluminescence and photoconductivity spectroscopies.
3. Assessment of the device performance using different electrical characterization tools, such as current-voltage measurements under light/dark and external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements.
How to apply:
If interested in this opportunity, please apply to Krish directly via email to krishanu.dey@physics.ox.ac.uk using the subject line “Royce Undergraduate Internship at Oxford – Your Name” by the deadline of 23:59 on 19 June 2024.
Your application must include in a single pdf document: your CV (including grades), a brief statement of motivation (max 300 words) and the contact details of 1 academic referee who is prepared to be contacted regarding your application.
A short interview (lasting 10-15 minutes) will be conducted with shortlisted applicants on 25 June 2024. Note that to ensure fairness to all the candidates, no late applications will be accepted.
PhD Positions
How to apply for a PhD with Condensed Matter Physics in Oxford. Click link below for more information.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-condensed-matter-physics
The application site will open towards the end of the year for 2023 opportunities. Application deadlines are in January and March 2023. Dates tba on the website above.
If you have any specific admissions questions, then please email CMPgradadmin@physics.ox.ac.uk who will be happy to assist.
Postdoctoral Researcher Vacancies
There are no vacancies at present.