PhD position on the "High-throughput combinatorial development of hybrid perovskite semiconductors for large area optoelectronics" in Zürich

The project: Metal halide perovskite semiconductors, including hybrid organic-inorganic compositions, have been the focus of intense research efforts due to their relative ease of fabrication, low cost, bandgap tuneability (~1.2 eV to >2 eV) and excellent performance in lab-scale devices. The great promise for next-generation optoelectronic devices motivates the development of economical and scalable synthesis routes for perovskite thin film materials. This project aims at developing new scalable deposition processes for perovskite thin films to help pave the way towards large-scale devices and commercial products.

Your research activities will include the development of new deposition processes for novel perovskite thin-film materials, but also the deposition of contact layers and the study of the respective interface properties. High-throughput materials science techniques will enable you to perform rapid screening and development of promising materials and processing conditions. For a detailed characterization of the material’s structural and optoelectronic properties state-of-the-art experimental techniques (e.g. XPS, XRD, TEM) will be used. A particular emphasis in this PhD project is put on the development of perovskite thin films for solid-state lighting and photo detector applications.

The project is a collaborative effort of different partners with multiple PhD projects at several institutes across Switzerland, namely Empa (Labs 208 and 207), EPFL (PVLAB) and ETHZ (ShihLab). Frequent exchange between the partners is envisioned.

Your profile: You have a master’s degree in materials science, physics, chemistry, engineering or a related discipline with excellent grades. Ideally, you have already acquired hands-on experience in thin film deposition and/or UHV technology. Prior experience or knowledge in one or more of the following areas is a clear advantage: optoelectronics, (organic-) semiconductors, materials' characterization (especially XRD, XPS, optical spectroscopy and/or SEM/TEM), data science and basic programming skills.

The processing and analysis of large data sets will be one of the challenges in this project, so candidates with prior experience in data science and programming (e.g. IgorPro, Python, R) are especially encouraged to apply.

The ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary research environment is essential. Personal initiative, ability to work systematically, reliability, responsibility, teamwork and communication skills are a must. Excellent knowledge of English (oral and written) is mandatory. German is an advantage, but not required.

We offer: A stimulating, international and collaborative research environment at a leading research institution with an excellent infrastructure and a broad interdisciplinary surrounding. The fully funded 4-year PhD position will be held in collaboration with ETH Zürich. The candidate will work on the Empa Campus in Dübendorf and will be enrolled in the doctoral program of ETH Zürich. - The position is available from 1st June 2021 (or later upon agreement).