School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering

Sydney, NSW 2052

Australia

Dr. Ziv Hameiri Telephone: +61 293859475

Associate Professor Facsimile: +61 293855412
Email: ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au

PhD at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Photoluminescence-based characterisation methods for

perovskite and tandem solar cells

The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) is one of the
eight schools within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New South Wales
(UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
The school is widely considered as the best in the world. Building on its world-leading
research, the school attracts leading international researchers in the area of
photovoltaic. Our academic staff has been consistently ranked amongst the leaders
worldwide in the photovoltaic field through international peer review. Our team has held
the world record for silicon solar cell efficiencies for over twenty years and has been
responsible for developing the most successfully commercialised photovoltaic technology
internationally throughout the same period. The solar cell technology that is predicted to
dominate the market in the next decade (the ‘PERC’) was invented and developed in our
school.

We are looking for excellent students for a for a novel project involving new solar cell
technology and advanced inspection tools (details below).

The PhD will be done in our state-of-the-art laboratories, including our industrial
production line (the only one in Australia) and our advanced fabrication and
characterization facilities. Our laboratories allow most of the fabrication processes of
semiconductors, including diffusion (phosphorous and boron), oxidation, chemical
vapor deposition, laser-based etching and doping, photolithography, metal and
semiconductor evaporation, metal plating, screen printing, etc.

Suitable students will be awarded a full scholarship for 3.5 years (PhD duration in Australia
is 3-3.5 years). The scholarship fully covers the university fees and provides an additional
allowance to cover living costs:
Tuition fees: $45,000 per year
Living allowance: $27,000 per year
Conference allowance: $3,000 per conference (to support attending a scientific
international conference; at least two conferences during the PhD).

Requirements:
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or engineering discipline
specialising in electrical and electronic, chemistry, material, or physics with a graduation
GPA above 8 out of 10 or equivalent.
Master degree: Graduation from a Master by research program, focusing on perovskite,
organic or dyes solar cells. At least one international journal publication in a relevant
research area is required.

Supervision will be done by Associate Professor Ziv Hameiri, Dr Arman Mahboubi Soufiani
and Associate Professor Xiaojing (Jeana) Hao. For more details please contact Dr Ziv
Hameiri (ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au).

Project details:
Photoluminescence-based characterisation methods for perovskite and tandem solar
cells
In the past few years, a new class of solar cell based on mixed organic-inorganic hybrid
perovskite has stunned the photovoltaic community. Perovskites were first used as a PV
absorber in 2006, achieving an efficiency of 2.2%. This efficiency has been rapidly
increased to 24.4±0.8% by 2019. Within a couple of years perovskite solar cells achieved
similar efficiency to those of much more mature thin-film solar cell technologies (such as
CdTe and CIGS). Development of various fabrication methods and several device
structures suggest that this efficiency is still far from its limit.
Despite the astonishing performance improvement in such a short time, perovskite-based
solar cells suffer from some major problems. One key challenge for this technology is the
stability of the devices; they tend to undergo degradation (sometimes within only a few
hours), especially upon exposure to moisture. Another challenge associated with
perovskite-based solar cells, which is common to all thin film solar cell approaches, is the
cell uniformity. The latter determines the ability to scale-up the impressive efficiencies
achieved on small devices to larger areas. To date, perovskite solar cells have been
fabricated mostly on relatively small substrates (5–30 mm2). However, commercial
applications require a much larger substrate area (in the order of 156 mm × 156 mm).
This scaling-up requires the ability to monitor the uniformity of the fabrication process.
Lateral process variations can be expected particularly for solution spreading techniques
that are often implemented in the fabrication of perovskite solar cells.
The rapid progress in the fabrication technology of perovskite solar cells has not been
accompanied by the development of dedicated characterisation methods. The
uniqueness of perovskite-based solar cells and the strong need for dedicated
characterisation methods is obvious when considering the challenges researchers face to
perform a simple current–voltage measurement for this type of device.
Note that the world record for silicon solar cell efficiency that had been held by UNSW
over the last few decades was strongly supported by the availability of state-of-the-art
characterisation tools and the resulting ability to analyse loss mechanisms. In order to
further improve the efficiencies of perovskite-based solar cell, innovative analysis
methods need to be developed.

Aims:
The aim of this project is to develop luminescence-based imaging methods to characterise
spatially resolved recombination and degradation mechanisms within perovskite-based
solar cells (both single and tandem cells).
Photoluminescence (PL) – the emission of light from a material after the absorption of
photons – has been proven to be a very powerful monitoring tool for photovoltaic devices.
PL imaging was developed at UNSW more than a decade ago. Since the first proof of
concept studies in our laboratories, this technology has seen rapid adoption worldwide
by researchers and companies and is now one of the most widely used techniques. For
silicon devices, PL imaging is frequently used to monitor essential electrical parameters
such as minority carrier lifetime, implied open-circuit voltage, diode saturation currents,
series resistance, shunt resistance, and pseudo fill factor. The contactless nature of the
measurement and the fact that it can be performed even on non-completed devices
makes it an ideal tool to investigate various limiting processes within silicon and non-
silicon solar cells. UNSW has an internationally leading position in the growth of PL as
an effective inspection tool for photovoltaic devices.

The main project aims are to:

• Develop methods to extract essential solar cells parameters from luminescence
images (both single and tandem cells).
• Investigate recombination mechanisms within perovskite-based solar cell
using luminescence and identifying the main loss mechanisms that limit
efficiency.
• Investigate the degradation processes associated with perovskite-based solar
cell.
• Investigate the uniformity of various processing methods and assessing the
losses associated with the non-uniformity.
• Saving the world!
 School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia

Dr. Ziv Hameiri Telephone: +61 293859475

Associate Professor Facsimile: +61 293855412
Email: ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au

PhD at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Development of beta-voltaic batteries for space applications

The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) is one of the
eight schools within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New South Wales
(UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
The school is widely considered as the best in the world. Building on its world-leading
research, the school attracts leading international researchers in the area of
photovoltaic. Our academic staff has been consistently ranked amongst the leaders
worldwide in the photovoltaic field through international peer review. Our team has held
the world record for silicon solar cell efficiencies for over twenty years and has been
responsible for developing the most successfully commercialised photovoltaic technology
internationally throughout the same period. The solar cell technology that is predicted to
dominate the market in the next decade (the ‘PERC’) was invented and developed in our
school.

We are looking for excellent students for a project developing novel beta-voltaic
batteries for space and other unique applications (details below).

The PhD will be done in our state-of-the-art laboratories, including our industrial
production line (the only one in Australia) and our advanced fabrication and
characterization facilities. Our laboratories allow most of the fabrication processes of
semiconductors, including diffusion (phosphorous and boron), oxidation, chemical
vapor deposition, laser-based etching and doping, photolithography, metal and
semiconductor evaporation, metal plating, screen printing, etc.

Suitable students will be awarded a full scholarship for 3.5 years (PhD duration in Australia
is 3-3.5 years). The scholarship fully covers the university fees and provides an additional
allowance to cover living costs:
Tuition fees: $45,000 per year
Living allowance: $27,000 per year
Conference allowance: $3,000 per conference (to support attending a scientific
international conference; at least two conferences during the PhD).
Requirements:
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or engineering discipline
specialising in electrical and electronic, chemistry, material, or physics with a graduation
GPA above 8 out of 10 or equivalent.
Master degree: Priority will be given for those who graduated from a Masters by research
program, focusing on photovoltaic devices.

Supervision will be done by Associate Professor Ziv Hameiri (SPREE),

(ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au).

Project details: Development of beta-voltaic batteries for space and other unique
applications
Low-power, wireless electronic devices are gaining significant importance these days. As
it is expected that their importance will increase even further in the next decade,
energising these devices is becoming a critical need. Despite the ubiquitous use of
electrochemical batteries, they all suffer from limited longevity and must be frequently
charged and replaced. Electrochemical batteries also suffer from low energy density and
high sensitivity to environmental conditions. At high temperatures, electrochemical
batteries often undergo self-discharge and permanent loss of capacity, while at low
temperatures they exhibit lower voltage and capacity. Possible leaked electrolyte creates
corrosion of nearby electronics and is a potential safety hazard in the form of burns and
poisoning. Instabilities leading to shorting in lithium batteries can result in fire or
explosion. Hence, a new type of battery must be developed to overcome these
limitations and beta-voltaic (BV) battery is a strong candidate.
Beta-voltaic devices that use a radioisotope beta-emitter and a semiconductor (absorber)
to produce electricity, can address these limitations. In these batteries, the energy is by
emission of beta-particles in long-lived radioactivity. The beta-particles (high-energy
electrons) produce a cascade of electron-hole (e-h) pairs in the semiconductor. Hence, in
principle, BV batteries operate as PV cells and can be modelled using a similar equivalent
circuit.
The main advantages of BV batteries compared to electrochemical batteries are: (a)
depending on the half-life of the beta source, BV batteries can operate for many years
(>50 years); (b) they have a very high energy density (c) BV batteries can work at extreme
temperatures (-55°C to 150°C); and (d) beta-sources can be applied as thin films, allowing
direct integration of the energy source into the device with only minimal additional
volume requirement, and hence, the battery becomes a micropart of the system.
Beta-voltaic batteries are already used for critical applications where electrochemical
batteries have severe limitations. They are well suited for long-life applications with low
power requirements. For example, BV devices have been applied to space missions and
to power pacemakers. Recent developments in sensors, electronic devices and medical
implants significantly expand the possibilities for BV usage. However, common BV devices
suffer from low efficiency and fast degradation in their electrical performance, preventing
them from reaching their full potential. This project aims to develop a new type of BV
batteries.
 School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia

Dr. Ziv Hameiri Telephone: +61 293859475

Associate Professor Facsimile: +61 293855412
Email: ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au

PhD at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

We are looking for excellent students for THREE projects aiming to:
• Improve the quality of silicon wafers for their applications in
advanced solar cell structures
• Investigate the interfaces between silicon and various dielectrics for
both solar cells and quantum computing applications
• Develop new inspection methods for silicon and non-silicon
photovoltaic devices

The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) is one of the
eight schools within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New South Wales
(UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
The school is widely considered as the best in the world. Building on its world-leading
research, the school attracts leading international researchers in the area of
photovoltaic. Our academic staff has been consistently ranked amongst the leaders
worldwide in the photovoltaic field through international peer review. Our team has held
the world record for silicon solar cell efficiencies for over twenty years and has been
responsible for developing the most successfully commercialised photovoltaic technology
internationally throughout the same period. The solar cell technology that is predicted to
dominate the market in the next decade (the ‘PERC’) was invented and developed in our
school.

The PhD will be done in our state-of-the-art laboratories, including our industrial
production line (the only one in Australia) and our advanced fabrication and
characterization facilities. Our laboratories allow most of the fabrication processes of
semiconductors, including diffusion (phosphorous and boron), oxidation, chemical
vapor deposition, laser-based etching and doping, photolithography, metal and
semiconductor evaporation, metal plating, screen printing, etc.

Suitable students will be awarded a full scholarship for 3.5 years (PhD duration in Australia
is 3-3.5 years). The scholarship fully covers the university fees and provides an additional
allowance to cover living costs:
Tuition fees: $45,000 per year
Living allowance: $27,000 per year
Conference allowance: $3,000 per conference (to support attending a scientific
international conference; at least two conferences during the PhD).
Requirements:
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic, Physics,
or Applied Science with a graduation GPA above 8 out of 10 or equivalent.
Master degree: Priority will be given for those who graduated from a Masters by research
program, focusing on photovoltaic devices or similar.

Supervision will be done by Associate Professor Ziv Hameiri (ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au).

 School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia

Dr. Ziv Hameiri Telephone: +61 293859475

Associate Professor Facsimile: +61 293855412
Email: ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au

PhD at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Machine learning application for luminescence imaging

The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) is one of the
eight schools within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New South Wales
(UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
The school is widely considered as the best in the world. Building on its world-leading
research, the school attracts leading international researchers in the area of
photovoltaic. Our academic staff has been consistently ranked amongst the leaders
worldwide in the photovoltaic field through international peer review. Our team has held
the world record for silicon solar cell efficiencies for over twenty years and has been
responsible for developing the most successfully commercialised photovoltaic technology
internationally throughout the same period. The solar cell technology that is predicted to
dominate the market in the next decade (the ‘PERC’) was invented and developed in our
school.

We are looking for excellent students for a novel project involving machine learning and
advanced characterization (details below). The PhD project will be run in our state-of-
the-art laboratories in close collaboration with the School of Computer Science
Engineering (CSE). The School of Computer Science and Engineering is one of the largest
and most prestigious computing schools in Australia. It offers undergraduate programs
in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Bioinformatics,
as well as several combined degrees with other disciplines. It attracts excellent students
who have an outstanding record in international competitions.

Suitable students will be awarded a full scholarship for 3.5 years (PhD duration in Australia
is 3-3.5 years). The scholarship fully covers the university fees and provides an additional
allowance to cover living costs:
Tuition fees: $45,000 per year
Living allowance: $27,000 per year
Conference allowance: $3,000 per conference (to support attending a scientific
international conference; at least two conferences during the PhD).
Requirements:
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
with a graduation GPA above 8 out of 10 or equivalent.
Master degree: Priority will be given for those who graduated from a Masters by research
program, focusing on machine learning, big data, or similar.

Supervision will be done by Associate Professor Ziv Hameiri (SPREE), Prof Arcot Sowmya
(CSE), and Prof. Thorsten Trupke (SPREE). For more details please contact Associate
Professor Ziv Hameiri (ziv.hameiri@unsw.edu.au).

Project details: Machine learning application for luminescence imaging

The aim of this project is to develop machine learning algorithms for analysing
luminescence-based images in order to improve the efficiency of solar cells.
Photoluminescence (PL) – the emission of light from a material after the absorption of
photons – has been proven to be a very powerful monitoring tool for photovoltaic devices.
PL imaging was developed at UNSW more than a decade ago. Since the first proof of
concept studies in our laboratories, this technology has seen rapid adoption worldwide
by researchers and companies and is now one of the most widely used techniques. For
silicon devices, PL imaging is frequently used to monitor essential electrical parameters
such as minority carrier lifetime, implied open-circuit voltage, diode saturation currents,
series resistance, shunt resistance, and pseudo fill factor. The contactless nature of the
measurement and the fact that it can be performed even on non-completed devices
makes it an ideal tool to investigate various limiting processes within silicon wafers and
silicon solar cells. UNSW has an internationally leading position in the growth of PL as
an effective inspection tool for silicon photovoltaics.
This project will benefit from the large knowledge and experience in SPREE on various PL
technologies in developing new groundbreaking PL-based applications for silicon and
non-silicon solar cells.

The main project aims are to:

• Develop machine learning algorithms to extract various electrical properties
for luminescence images of silicon wafers, solar cells, and photovoltaic
modules
• Develop machine learning algorithms to improve the reliability of
photovoltaics systems
• Develop machine learning algorithms to develop the new generation of solar
cells
• Saving the world!