Probing Ion Motion in Perovskite Solar Cells

The University of Bath is inviting applications for the following PhD project under the supervision of Prof Petra Cameron and Prof Alison Walker in the Department of Chemistry.

The anticipated start date is 30 September 2024 but later start dates up to March 2025 can be considered on request.

Applicants with Home fee status ONLY will be considered for a fully-funded studentship. For more information, see the Funding Eligibility and Funding Noes sections below. Unfortunately, we CANNOT consider applications from International candidates for this project.

Overview of the Research:

Perovskite Solar Cells (PSC) show impressive efficiencies of over 26% and life cycle assessment suggests that they will have the lowest CO₂ footprint per kWhDC of electricity generated when compared to current commercial solar cells. This UK pioneered technology represents a promising advancement in our transition towards more sustainable, low impact energy sources. Perovskites are mixed ionic-electronic conductors, where the movement of electrons through the material is closely linked to the motion of mobile ions, such as iodide ions in formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI₃), a commonly used photo absorbing material. The movement of these mobile ions from vacant site to vacant site in the crystal lattice has been linked to lower stability, but they can also serve as probes to better understand the behaviour of perovskite solar cells themselves. In our work we make, characterise and model solar cells to better understand how ions can benefit or limit the efficiency of the cells.  

This project will focus on two key areas:

(1) making solar cells and developing an understanding how mobile ions are linked to the measured efficiency; and

(2) making novel perovskite materials to probe how ions move in mixed 2D-3D and non-stoichiometric perovskite materials. During this project you will learn how to both make and measure solar cells with a wide range of perovskite materials. You will have the opportunity to investigate how mobile ions impact on highly efficient solar cells and how they can be used to give detailed diagnostic information about ways in which the efficiency and stability of the solar cells can be improved. There is flexibility within the project for you to take ownership of the work and lead the project in a particular direction of interest.

Project keywords: perovskite, solar cell, thin film, sustainable energy

Candidate Requirements:

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in chemistry, physics or a related discipline. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.

Non-UK applicants must meet our English language entry requirement.

Enquiries and Applications:

Applicants are encouraged to contact Prof Petra Cameron on p.j.cameron@bath.ac.uk before applying to find out more about the project and to discuss their suitability for the role.

Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Chemistry.

In the ‘Funding your studies’ section of the application form, please select ‘EPSRC DTP’ from the first drop-down menu. In the ‘Your PhD project’ section, please quote the project title and lead supervisor’s name in the appropriate fields. Failure to complete these steps will cause a delay in processing your application and may cause you to miss the deadline.

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups.

If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.