This PhD position will be aimed at controlling photon entropy using nanostructures to improve solar cells. It will involve both theoretical and experimental work, including upgrading an existing optical spectroscopy setup to include Fourier microscopy. Optimal nanostructures will be designed to control the solar cell photoluminescence emission angle while maintaining high light outcoupling. These nanostructures will then be synthesized using bottom-up chemical growth or fabricated with top-down nanolithography. Ultimately, nanostructured solar cells will be tested to prove the increased efficiency.

The Nanoscale Solar Cells group synthesizes advanced metal and semiconducting nanostructures, characterizes their material properties and integrates them into novel device structures with the aim of improving our fundamental understanding of light absorption, charge separation, recombination and transport at the nanometer scale.

Candidates must have a MSc degree in chemistry, physics, materials science or engineering and strong mathematical training. The ideal candidate would have research experience in (or desire and ability to learn) advanced analytical calculations, numerical modeling, Fourier imaging and nanofabrication.

Fixed-term contract: four years.

When fulfilling a PhD position at the NWO-I, the Institutes Organisation of NWO, you will get the status of junior scientist. You will have an employee status and can participate in all the employee benefits NWO-I offers. You will get a contract for four years. Your salary will be up to a maximum of 2,834 euro gross per month.The salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8 percent and an end-of-year bonus of 8.33 percent.  You are supposed to have a thesis finished at the end of your four year term with NWO-I. A training programme is part of the agreement. You and your supervisor will make up a plan for the additional education and supervising that you specifically need. This plan also defines which teaching activities you will be responsible (up to a maximum of ten percent of your time). The conditions of employment of NWO-I are laid down in the Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres (Cao-Onderzoekinstellingen), more exclusive information is available at this website under Personeelsinformatie (in Dutch) or under Personnel (in English). General information about working at NWO-I can be found in the English part of this website under Personnel. The 'Job interview code' applies to this position.

AMOLF

AMOLF initiates and performs leading fundamental research on the physics of complex forms of matter, and creates new functional materials, in partnership with academia and industry. AMOLF is located at the Amsterdam Science Park, The Netherlands, and engages approximately 140 scientists and 70 support staff. See also http://www.amolf.nl