MoDCons: Multi-Modal Microscopy of Doped Semiconductors

The development of efficient, low-cost, and durable doped semiconductors including photovoltaics, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and

transistors will be central to the EU goal of reaching net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Taking photovoltaics as an example, the most

important aspects for commercialization are the power conversion efficiency (PCE), cost, and durability, which can be combined into the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) often expressed in euros per kilowatt hour. Multi-junction and bifacial

photovoltaics are therefore attractive because they enable power conversion limits associated with monofacial single junctions to be

surpassed, lowering the LCOE. MoDCons represents a departure from the broadly adopted strategy of "trial and error", instead driving device engineering strategy with fundamental understanding. Dr Westbrook will achieved this by designing a multi-modal

microscopy toolkit capable of quantifying photophysical, chemical, and structural information on the microscale, in next-generation

semiconductors. He will deploy this toolkit to understand the structure-function relationships that underpin dopant formation in

mixed-metal halide perovskites, with implications for photovoltaics and other optoelectronics. Finally, he will use the multi-modal

microscopy toolkit to drive the device engineering of bifacial all-perovskite tandem solar cells to >30% efficiency and >1000h stability.

A major academic and industrial effort towards commercialization of next-generation photovoltaics and optoelectronics is currently

underway with its epicenter in Europe. Therefore, the postdoctoral fellowship represents a timely opportunity to return Dr

Westbrook from the United States to strengthen Europe's base in research and development. Through MoDCons, Dr Westbrook will gain vital skills in device engineering, microscopy and management, securing his future independent academic career.