PhD Tailoring physical properties by controlled single crystal disorder in Zürich

Properties​ ​of​ many ​materials​ ​can​ ​be​ ​improved​ ​by​ ​adding​ ​disorder. Disorder​ ​in​ ​this​ ​context​ ​means​ ​that​ ​on​ ​atomic​ ​level​ ​the​ ​structures​ ​of​ ​such​ ​materials​ ​are​ ​not​ ​ideal:​ ​some​ ​of the​ ​atoms​ ​or​ ​molecules​ ​might​ ​be​ ​replaced​ ​by​ ​different​ ​species,​ ​other​ ​might​ ​even​ ​be​ ​absent.​ ​For​ ​instance​ ​in novel​ ​organic-inorganic​ ​solar​ ​cells​ ​molecular​ ​disorder​ ​improves​ ​their​ ​quantum​ ​efficiency.

Chemists successfully​ use ​this​ ​pathway​ ​by​ ​controlling​ ​the​ ​​number​ ​​of​ ​defects​ ​in​ ​their​ ​structures, however up until now controlling the distribution of the defects was not feasible. Recently we have developed a method called the Three Dimensional Difference Pair Distribution Function (​3D-ΔPDF), which allows to measure defect distribution in disordered single crystals. In this project we will use this method to control the defects in the family of Prussian Blue analogues materials, in order to improve their properties.

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