Function : Intern
Contract : EDF internship agreement
Starting date: February/march 2024
Duration: 6 months
Workplace: IPVF – 18 boulevard Thomas Gobert, 91120 Palaiseau
Education: Master 2
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 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.
Brief history:
The IPVF was founded in 2013 on the initiative of the French government, EDF, TotalEnergies, Air Liquide, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Horiba and Riber. Bringing together more than 150 researchers, our 8,000 square meter Paris-Saclay platform is a unique platform for all types of deeptech research and innovation.
The IPVF aims to remain:
• A world leader in photovoltaic-related R&D. By federating the best French teams in the field of research, innovation and industrial production, in partnership with major international institutes, particularly in Europe,
• A leader in the development of photovoltaic technology bricks in line with market trends,
• A reference in sending the most promising R&D concepts to the industry.
Today, renewable solar energy is a major and important contributor to achieving energetic transition and climate change mitigation targets. Consequently, much research is being held and various new technologies are surging to surpass the efficiency limits and cost burdens of the existing technologies. Perovskite solar cells are the new rising stars of the field, reaching high efficiencies and coming a long way toward promising results in only over a decade of timeline. Nonetheless, they present many challenges from which operational stability remains a significant problem. In that regard, it is of great relevance to increase the technological maturity to prove the capacity of real-world stability and forecast an operational lifespan within an experimentally feasible timescale. Therefore, an agreement among experts in the field on methodologies for verifying the stability of perovskite solar cells was launched to set uniformity in the experimental methods and reported parameters by trying to replicate the outdoor real conditions in accelerated indoor aging tests. However, the outdoor environment presents a high level of complexity, data is still lacking analysis and comparisons, and few tests and research reports have been completed, which makes it more challenging to set protocols and investigate the results.
The main objective of the internship is to conduct various indoor measurements on perovskite-based solar cells. During the internship, collaboration with the stability and reliability team of solar cells will be established to enhance the encapsulation process of solar cells and investigate stability measurements by analyzing I-V curves under varying conditions of temperature, humidity, and irradiance. In particular, the changes in the cell’s behavior and its response to temperature depending on its degradation state will be studied. Aging measurements under various conditions will be conducted in a climatic chamber and compared with measurements taken in outdoor conditions.
Additional responsibilities:
• Adapt test protocols for reliability testing to meet the challenges of perovskite cells.
• Regularly report results to the project team and management.
• Conduct electrical, physico-chemical, and optical characterizations on solar cells/modules.
• Cooperate with solar cell development team to define cell and module structures for degradation tests.
• Explore innovative ways to improve the performance and reliability of perovskite solar cells.
Additional Information:
In this role, you will be part of a dynamic team of researchers dedicated to advancing the field of perovskite solar cell technology. You will have access to state-of-the-art equipment and a collaborative environment to support your work.
– Materials science
– Optical and electrical characterization
– Semiconductor physics and thin films
– Previous experience in characterizing photovoltaic devices is an asset.
– Curious and creative
– Proactive and autonomous
– Excellent communication
CV and cover letter to be sent to:
Feel free to contact us for more information about our offers.
+33(0)1 69 86 58 60
contact@ipvf.fr
