PhD position / Doktorand (m/w): High-volume quantification of defect-related power losses in industrial CIGS photovoltaic modules / Hochdurchsatz-Quantifizierung von defektinduzierten Leistungsverlusten in industriellen CIGS-Photovoltaik-Modulen (Erlangen) – Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)

Chair VI – Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology: Research at FAU’s i-MEET is concentrated on electronic materials with relevance for energy related devices. Optoelectronic semiconductors for solar cells, lighting applications or high power circuits are in the focus of the currently 4 research groups at i-MEET.

The thesis: This project focuses on the development of an industrially suitable imaging-based characterization method which allows quantifying the defect-related power losses of industrial full-size CIGS photovoltaic modules. Therefore, luminescence and thermography (e.g. Dark-lock-in thermography, DLIT) are to be combined with the electrical characterization of the modules under various illumination levels. In a further step, these measurements as well as data evaluation is to be automized. Besides analytical analysis of the measurement results also machine-learning-approaches should be employed for identifying correlations describing the defect-related power losses and for extrapolating them to standard test conditions.
This PhD project is part of a federally funded research project involving, both, academic and industrial partners.

The thesis can be written in German or English.

Qualifications:

• Master degree in physics, materials science, process engineering or comparable
• Experience in using experimental setups (preferably for optics / imaging)
• Physical and technical knowledge (semiconductors, optics and electronics)
• Additional background in image processing and / or machine learning is beneficial
• Ability to work independently
• Enjoy working in a multidisciplinary and international team
• Fluency in English, German is a plus