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Crystallisation regulation of tin halide perovskites for eco-friendly optoelectronics

This project is closed for international students.

Project summary

Program
PhD
Location
St Lucia
Research area
Chemical sciences, Engineering

Project description

Renewable electricity generated from rooftop solar panels and large-scale solar farms currently supplies around 20% of Australia’s total electricity.

To support the 2035 National Emissions Reduction Target of 62-70% below 2005 levels, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency has set a target to reduce the cost of solar modules to 30 cents a watt by 2030. Achieving this ambitious goal requires the development of next-generation low-cost photovoltaic technologies, among which perovskite solar cells have emerged as the most promising candidate.

However, high-efficiency perovskite solar cells normally contain toxic lead, raising considerable public concerns on the environment and human health that impede their large-scale deployment. To address this challenge, this project aims to develop tin-based perovskite solar cells by replacing hazardous lead with eco-friendly tin, offering safer and cost-effective power sources for a more resilient future.

To ensure efficient and stable tin-based perovskite solar cells, various crystallisation regulation strategies will be designed to control the nucleation and growth of perovskite crystals and thus achieving high-quality tin-based perovskite films with minimised defect densities. Advanced knowledge generated in materials processing and solar cell fabrication will be translated to industry through established partnerships with a local solar manufacturer, delivering real-world products for renewable energy harvesting and decarbonisation.

Research environment

Chemical Engineering at UQ (UQ-ChemEng) and the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). These well-equipped labs will provide access to all the required facilities to support this project, including:

  • two dry labs (humidity 20±5%)
  • solar cell fabrication facilities (spin-coaters, hot-plates, atomic layer deposition system, and thermal evaporators within gloveboxes)
  • solar cell performance evaluation platform (solar simulators and long-term stability testing system within gloveboxes, and external quantum efficiency system)
  • advanced material characterisations (UV-Vis absorption, FTIR, TRPL, bench-top XRD, benchtop PL, in-situ Raman).

You will also access the UQ central infrastructure, including:

  • CMM for structure analysis and material characterisations, such as XPS, XRD, SEM, TEM, EPR, NMR, and AFM; and
  • Australia National Fabrication Facility-Queensland Node (ANFF-Q) for device fabrication (sputtering, e-beam evaporator, and laser etching/patterning systems).

You will also collaborate with the Australian and European Synchrotron beam scientists, with frequent access to the SAXS/WAXS and XAS beamlines.

Scholarship

This is an Fellowship support scheme scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.

The scholarship includes:

  • living stipend of $37,500 per annum tax free (2026 rate), indexed annually
  • your tuition fees covered
  • single overseas student health cover (OSHC).

Learn more about the Fellowship support scheme scholarship.

Supervisor

Preferred educational background

Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.

We take into account your:

  • previous academic record
  • publication record
  • honours and awards
  • employment history.

A working knowledge of semiconductor materials, thin film fabrication, and optoelectronics would be of benefit to someone working on this project.

You will demonstrate academic achievement in the fields of chemical engineering, functional materials, and nanotechnology and the potential for scholastic success.

A background or knowledge of material science, chemical engineering, device physics, and chemistry is highly desirable.

How to apply

This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 4, 2026. You can start in an earlier research quarter.

You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) by the closing date for the research quarter (RQ) you want to start in:

  • RQ 1 (January): 30 September
  • RQ 2 (April): 31 December
  • RQ 3 (July): 31 March
  • RQ 4 (October): 30 June.
  • RQ 1 (January): 30 June
  • RQ 2 (April): 30 September
  • RQ 3 (July): 31 December
  • RQ 4 (October): 31 March.

Before you apply

  1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
  2. Prepare your documentation.
  3. If you have any questions about whether the project is suitable for your research interests, contact Dr Peng Chen (p.chen1@uq.edu.au).

When you apply

To apply, submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the program. You don't need to apply separately for the project or scholarship. How to submit an EOI

In your EOI, complete the 'Scholarship/Sponsorship' section with the following details:

  1. Are you applying for an advertised project: 'Yes'
  2. Project: 'Fellowship project scholarship'
  3. Scholarship Code Listed in the Advertisement: OPTOELECTRONICS-CHEN
  4. Link to Scholarship Advertisement: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/projects/crystallisation-regulation-tin-halide-perovskites-eco-friendly-optoelectronics

Submit an EOI

This project is not available to international students

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