Student research opportunities
Unravelling the Mysteries of Perovskites for a Quantum Leap in Solar Cell Performance
Project Code: CECS_1148
This project is available at the following levels:
Engn R&D, Honours, Summer Scholar, PhD
Keywords:
Solar Energy Renewables Materials Semiconductors Photovoltaics
Supervisors:
Assoc Professor Klaus WeberProfessor Kylie Catchpole
Dr Tom White
Outline:
Certain members of the group of materials known as Perovskites are showing exceptional promise for solar applications, due to a range of unusual and intriguing properties. It is a ‘hot topic’ which has spawned an exceptional number of high-impact publications in the last 2 years in journals such as Science and Nature. High efficiency Perovskite solar cells are relatively easy to fabricate in the laboratory with relatively simple equipment.
The complexity of the material, in terms of its crystal structure, the wide variety of Perovskites that can be synthesized and the wide range of unusual electronic and optical properties displayed, means that there is great scope to improve performance further through better understanding of the various properties. In addition, stability issues need to be urgently addressed. If these challenges can be overcome, Perovskites hold the promise of enabling a quantum leap in solar cell efficiencies.
Research projects can be offered that investigate several key challenges.
• Investigation of the degradation mechanisms in Perovskite cells, and identification of means of addressing these
• Development of high efficiency Perovskite cells, through improvements in the cell architecture and the use of different Perovskite materials
• Development and characterisation of Perovskite / Silicon tandem solar cells, with the goal of beating the world record silicon cell efficiency (currently 25.6%)
• Development of novel characterisation methods and advanced modelling tools to improve the understanding of the materials and devices
The work will be done in the new characterisation and processing facilities dedicated to Perovskite research and will be part of a coordinated research effort involving several PhD students, postdocs, honours students and academics. The work may directly contribute to a 4-year, ARENA funded project involving ANU, UNSW and Monash University titled “High-Efficiency Silicon/Perovskite Tandem Cells and Modules: Demonstration and Commercial Evaluation”
Goals of this project
Research projects can be offered that investigate several key challenges.
• Investigation of the degradation mechanisms in Perovskite cells, and identification of means of addressing these
• Development of high efficiency Perovskite cells, through improvements in the cell architecture and the use of different Perovskite materials
• Development and characterisation of Perovskite / Silicon tandem solar cells, with the goal of beating the world record silicon cell efficiency (currently 25.6%)
• Development of novel characterisation methods and advanced modelling tools to improve the understanding of the materials and devices
• Optical modelling of Perovskite cells
Requirements/Prerequisites
Background in semiconductors and/or materials/chemistry. For hons students, a high level of academic achievement (usually tracking H1)
Student Gain
High level research skills and expertise in various areas in characterisation / modelling / solar cell fabrication / semiconductor physics / materials science
For exceptional domestic PhD students, a significant scholarship top-up may be available.
