Internship: Development of electron transport materials by Atomic layer deposition for perovskite solar cell application

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have captured significant interest from both academic and industry R&D communities in the field of photovoltaics due to their rapidly advancing performance, including impressive gains in power conversion efficiency, stability, ease of manufacturing, and cost-effectiveness. Since 2009, the power conversion efficiency of PSCs has surged from 3.8% [1] to a record high of over 26% in 2024 [2]. The fabrication of the electron transport layer (ETL), a critical component in PSCs, benefits greatly from the Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) process. ALD offers precise control over thickness at the atomic scale, as well as exceptional uniformity and conformality in the composition [3]. A simplified schematic of the ALD process is shown in Figure 1 (left). However, achieving a high-performance ETL remains a significant challenge.

The intern’s mission will be to develop ETL materials (n-type layer) using the ALD technique for PSC applications. This will involve:

• Developing the ETL via the ALD process
o Optimization of precursor delivery (source temperature, gas flow)
o Fine-tuning process temperatures and key parameters (pulse and purge times)
o Analyzing the structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of the deposited layers using various techniques, such as Ellipsometry, spectrophotometry, GI-XRD, cyclic voltammetry, and Hall effect measurements
• Implementing the ALD-fabricated ETL layer in PSCs (as illustrated in Figure 1, right):

o Device characterization (measuring I-V, EQE, IQE) o Determining key photovoltaic parameters
o Assessing and analyzing device performance

Required profile:

Skills:

• Masters or engineering students in Material Sciences or/and related fields
• Theoretical or technical knowledge of thin film characterization methods(ellipsometry, GI-XRD, spectrophotometry, cyclic voltammetry, Hall-effect, SEM)
• Having a laboratory experience would be a plus
• Computer skills: Microsoft Office, Origin,..
• English: written and spoken

Know how:

• Curiosity and personal motivation
• Autonomy, organization and rigor
• Ability to work in team
• Problem solving skills
• Ability to present results

Duration of internship:

• 5-6 months
• Start date: from 06 January 2025, and no later than the 31st March 2025