| Project: | ESR-6: PhD at Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, Germany |
| Topic: | Qualitative and quantitative characterization of loss mechanisms in organic solar cells |
| Researcher (ESR) | Ms. Maria Kotova |
| Supervisor: | Prof. Dr. Vladimir Dyakonov |
Qualitative and quantitative characterization of loss mechanisms in organic solar cells
Organic solar cells (OSC) possess advantages in view of potential system integration and low production costs. Still, despite significant research efforts, the performance and stability of OSC need to be further improved. To achieve this, intensive fundamental studies will be needed to clarify the recombination mechanisms, as well the intrinsic degradation processes during the conversion process of light into electricity. It is known that some of the recombination channels are spin-dependent. The magnitude of the effect is unknown, but needs to be experimentally determined in a quantitative way, or at least in relation to other molecular systems, to assess their relevance for the device performance. Various experiments will be performed that are based on the principles of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in combination with electrical methods. Maria will focus her efforts on fabrication of efficient organic photovoltaic devices and their electrical characterization in a broad parameter range. Additionally, EPR techniques, such as electrically-detected EPR, will be applied to compare the density of photo-generated charges in OSCs upon application of resonant AC and DC magnetic fields Finally, she will also address the difference in behavior of OPV devices made with fullerene electron acceptors and with alternative acceptor molecules, the so-called non-fullerene acceptors. This aspect is the most recent development in the field of organic photovoltaics and will also be addressed within SEPOMO.
Please contact Prof. Dr. Vladimir Dyakonov, mail:
Maria Kotova
Maria Kotova received her Specialist Diploma in Physics from the Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics, Department of Condensed Matter in 2013. Her thesis topic was “Scaling down the resistive switching effect in polymer materials” under supervision of Prof. D.R. Khokhlov. After graduation, she continued with PhD studies (2014-2018) of resistive switching effects in organic materials and devices at MSU before she joined the Chair of Experimental Physics VI at the University of Würzburg in the beginning of 2018. She participated at several international schools: summer student program at the laboratory of organic solar cells at the Institute for Heterogeneous Materials Systems of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Germany; school on memristive phenomena at Jülich Forschungszentrum; visiting scientist at Experimental Physics VI, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany. She published several papers in the international journals, such as JETP, Organic Photonics and Photovoltaics and Journal of Nanoelectronics and Optoelectronics. She presented her research at international conferences such as ISFOE, EMRS, IFSOE. Maria is currently employed as Product Engineer at P&G Manufacturing GmbH (DE).