PhD
Smart Systems and Energy Technology
Domain description Photovoltaic Energy Generation
Since 25 years, imec PV is one of the leading European research centers on photovoltaics. The research activity is mainly focused on Si technologies. It covers the standard bulk crystalline silicon technology, where a state-of-the-art technology platform supports the development of new solutions to the mid-term bottlenecks of industry, ranging from metallization to high-lifetime processing and back-contact cells. Very strong interaction with industrial partners ensures compatibility of tools and processes and smooth technology transfers. In 2004, imec PV has transferred part of its premium technology to the spin-off company Photovoltech, a solar cell manufacturer with ~150 MWp production capacity.
The research activities also propose innovative thin-film crystalline silicon concepts (polycrystalline Si, ultra-thin (<50um) monocrystalline Si foils, epitaxial Si cells). Most of these concepts target the cost-effective fabrication of very thin silicon devices to bring the costs down. Several challenges are identified and investigated before an industrial solution can be proposed. Imec’s vision is to bring together thin-film crystalline Si cell and smart and reliable module technologies.
Besides, new inorganic materials (such as CIGS or related materials, III-V-materials for concentrated PV devices and quantum-confined Si for all-Si tandem cells) are synthesized, analyzed and integrated into PV devices.
PhD student are integrated in teams of highly-skilled post-docs and researchers and work together in challenging projects. A supervisor follows daily the work of the PhD student, while an academic promotor gives monthly the relevant research orientation. Imec PV hosts permanently ~20 PhD students.
Below are examples of concrete PhD topics for which we are searching highly qualified candidates:
- Kesterite materials for In-free thin-film solar cells
- cleaning in Solar cell fabrication processing:
“just” clean enough?
- Improved c-Si cell metallization and its effect on reliability