5 PhD researchers, for research on Solar Cells

5 PhD researchers, for research on Solar Cells (1.0 fte)

Job description

PhD researcher 1: “Highly Efficient Very Large Area Thin Film Silicon Photovoltaic Modules”.
This project aims at the development of innovative light management strategies for application in large area industrial solar modules. The objectives of this research, among others, are the study of novel light scattering textures and antireflection layers to enhance light absorption, and the optimization of the design of tandem solar cells by using spectrally selective reflecting layers, including multilayers with photonic properties.

This research is carried out in the Section Nanophotonics (Dr Jatindra Rath and Prof. Ruud Schropp) as part of a European consortium with funding from the European Commission, FP7.

PhD researcher 2: “Quantum Dot enhanced CIS PV-solar cells: QD booster”.
The main objective of the QD booster project is to employ the characterization of physical and chemical processes to gain know how on incorporating sulfide QD’s in thin film CIS solar cells. The QD booster photovoltaic solar cell will be able to utilize subbandgap photons, due to the introduction of intermediate energy levels within the band gap by incorporation of QDs. The QDs will have a band gap that is lower (1.0 – 1.5 eV) than the embedding matrix (2.0 – 3.2 eV), which is made of a different semiconducting material.

This research will be carried out in the Section Nanophotonics (Dr Jatindra Rath and Prof. Ruud Schropp) in collaboration with Thin Film Factory B.V. (TFF), a spin-off company of Advanced Surface Technology B.V. (AST), with funding from SenterNovem, EOS-LT programma.

PhD researcher 3: “Towards low-cost luminescent concentrators (LC2)”.
The use of so called type-II quantum dots, which have a large Stokes shift, will lead to reduced re-absorption of converted photons in luminescent concentrators. In addition, because photons in the spectral range between the absorption and the emission peaks are not absorbed, it is important to be able to tune and optimize this spectral range in combination with the band gap of the solar cells used. This project aims at the creation and development of efficient luminescent concentrators using type-II quantum dots that can be combined with thin film amorphous and/or nanocrystalline silicon solar cells.

This research will be carried out in the sections Condensed Matter and Interfaces (Dr Celso de Mello-Donega), Nanophotonics (Prof Dr Ruud Schropp), and Science, Technology and Society (Dr Wilfried van Sark), all at Utrecht University, within the Joint Solar Program (JSP), with support of the utility company Nuon and the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM).

PhD researcher 4: “Quantum dot based thin film silicon solar cells”.
This project uses Si and silicium-germanium (SiGe) nanodots in order to increase the voltage as well as photocurrent of thin film solar cells with respect to 2nd generation solar cells. This is achieved by more efficient use of a wider range of wavelengths available in solar radiation.

The nanodots will be prepared by very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD), using two different methods: (1) creation of the dots by a controlled pulsed plasma in the dusty regime, and (2) by using a pulsed gas flow in a layer-by-layer (LBL) growth process. This investigation will be concentrating on the control of the uniformity of the particle size,the doping efficiency, the mechanism of carrier transport and defect passivation. Solar cells will be made that will demonstrate multiphoton absorption via intermediate bands.
This research will be carried out in the Section Nanophotonics (Dr Jatindra Rath and Prof. Ruud Schropp), at Utrecht University, within the Joint Solar Program (JSP), with support of the utility company Nuon and the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM).

PhD Researcher 5: "Solar concentrators based on luminescent doped nanocrystals"
A new concept for the development of efficient and stable Luminescent Solar Concentrators is investigated. Key parameters are harvesting photons over a wide spectral range (300-700+ nm), efficient conversion to a narrow band or line emission in the NIR (700-1000 nm), limited reabsorption and a high stability. To achieve this, nanocrystalline hosts (insulators or semiconductors) will be doped with efficiently luminescing transition metal or lanthanide ions (activators). The crystalline environment enables high luminescent NIR quantum yields while the 3-30 nm particle size prevents scattering when incorporated in a glass or polymer LSC plate. A successful implementation of efficient LSCs will contribute to lowering the cost price of electricity from photovoltaics below €1/Wp.

This research will be carried out in the section Condensed Matter and Interfaces (Prof. Andries Meijerink and Dr Celso de Mello-Donegá) at Utrecht University, within the Joint Solar Program (JSP), with support of the utility company Nuon and the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM).

Qualifications

You have a Master's degree in Physics, Technical Physics, Chemistry, or Materials Science. You have strong interest and you are skilled in experimental research. You have ample knowledge on semiconductor physics and optoelectrical measurement techniques. You are attracted to renewable energy technologies. You enjoy working in an international group. You are fluent in English, both in speaking and in writing.

Terms of employment

We offer a full time temporary assignment for four (4) years. Your gross monthly salary in the first year is € 2.042,- and will increase to € 2.612,- in the fourth year (full time), in agreement with the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities (CAO Nederlandse Universiteiten).

In addition we offer, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities: a retirement plan, an allowance for health insurance, partially paid parental leave, facilities for child care, plans for tax-free savings and premiums, flexible employment agreements in which you may trade salary for vacation days or vice versa, and a holiday allowance of 8 % per year and a yearend allowance of 8,3 %.

Further details

Information about this position can be obtained from:

Positions 1, 2, 3, 4: Prof. Ruud Schropp, tel. +31-30-253 3170 or 253 3171, e-mail: r.e.i.schropp@uu.nl.

Position 1, 2, 4: Dr Jatindra Rath, tel. +31-30-2532961, e-mail: j.k.rath@uu.nl

Position 3: Dr Celso de Mello-Donega, tel. +31-30-253 2226, e-mail c.demello-donega@uu.nl or Dr Wilfried van Sark, tel. +31-30-2537601, e-mail w.g.j.h.m.vansark@uu.nl

Position 5: Dr Celso de Mello-Donega, tel. +31-30-253 2226, e-mail c.demello-donega@uu.nl or Prof. Andries Meijerink, tel. +31-30-253 2202, e-mail a.meijerink@uu.nl

How to apply

Applications, including a curriculum vitae can be submitted to Faculty of Science, Personnel Department, Department of Physics and Astronomy, P.O. Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, the Netherlands or submit by e-mail to: science.peno@uu.nl.

Please mention vacancy number 63918. Please indicate which PhD position has your preference and please refer to where you first found these PhD positions.

Deadline for applications is 7 november 2009.

Source: http://applicaties.csc.uu.nl/uuvacature/detail.cfm?export=0&id=2959&taal=Engels