Function:              Internship

Contract:              IPVF internship agreement

Starting date:      March 2027

Duration:               6 months

Workplace:           IPVF – 18 bd Thomas Gobert, 91120 Palaiseau (France)

Education:            M2, Engineering school in data, modelling, material science, physical science

Ref.:                        PR-C-M-2-ST

IPVF – Institut Photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France

IPVF is a scientific and technical pole dedicated to the research and development of solar technologies. It permanently hosts its own staff, as well as the employees of its partners and external companies. IPVF aims to become one of the world’s leading centers for research, innovation, and training in the field of energy transition.
IPVF’s primary objective is to improve the performance and competitiveness of photovoltaic cells and develop breakthrough technologies by relying on four levers:

• Ambitious research program.
• The hosting of more than 200 researchers and their laboratories on its Paris-Saclay site.
• A state-of-the-art technology platform (8,000 m²) open to the photovoltaic industry actors, with more than 100 state-of-the-art equipment units located in clean rooms.
• A training program mainly based on a master’s degree, the supervision of PhD students, and continuing education.

CONTEXT

Perovskite solar cells are intensively investigated at IPVF and researchers collaborate to develop better performing and more reliable devices which is crucial for the next generation of solar cells. This includes developing fabrication processes and characterising materials and devices along fabrication steps, all supported by theoretical studies.

Performances are optimised through fabrication, characterization and modelling of the properties. This results in a lot of knowledge and data which can be used to support advanced modelling. Electronic and optical behaviour of layers and interfaces can be modelled to support to reliable and performant technological choices.

MAIN MISSIONS 

Good understanding of this baseline behaviour can enable to simulate the stack using drift diffusion simulations and reproduce experimental data to establish a realistic numerical twin of the stack that could then evolve to guide device stack evolution towards higher PCEs. The simulations will be performed using Setfos (licence already available at IPVF), enabling the optical and electrical properties of the individual layers and their interactions within the complete device stack to be investigated.

Missions are as follows :

– Work on the full-device modelling of perovskite solar cells, with the aim of reproducing and interpreting experimental characterisation measurements obtained in the laboratory. The modelling will include the reproduction of current density-voltage (J–V), external quantum efficiency (EQE), and photoluminescence (PL) measurements.

– Perform modelling used to identify limiting interfaces or layers, optimise the device architecture and provide guidelines for improving the performance of perovskite solar cells from both optical and electrical perspectives.

– Perform complementary J–V characterisation, for example at different scan-rates, and EQE measurements in the lab to gain understanding about real life device operation.

Candidate profile