PhD in Physics – Perovskite tandem solar cells

About the Project

The student will be hosted in the Optoelectronics and Photovoltaic Device Group, in Oxford Physics, which has pioneered the discovery and development of efficient perovskite solar cells over the last decade. Perovskite solar cells now promise to deliver the next step-increase in efficiency for mainstream solar energy, whilst also being adaptable to alternative applications, such as building-integrated, wearable and space-PV. This dynamic and multinational research group, headed by Professor Henry Snaith, greatly encourages exploratory, creative, inventive and collaborative research streams and is well facilitated with state-of-the-art fabrication, measurement and characterisation equipment. Many past PhD students have gone on to either develop their own dynamic, independent academic research groups in leading Universities around the world and others have gone on to take up leading roles in technology Industry and startups.

The theme of this PhD scholarship will be multi-junction or tandem perovskite solar cells. These promise to deliver much higher efficiency than existing PV technologies. However, many challenges still exist in terms of development of absorber materials with the appropriate band gaps, developing the correct device structure with multiple layers of different semiconductor materials, understanding and mitigating how the materials and devices degrade under laboratory conditions simulating accelerated environmental stressing and understanding optoelectronic processes occurring in the materials and at the interfaces.

The successful PhD student will work on the broad challenges associated with improving the efficiency and stability of Perovskite tandem solar cells. The work will involve developing, studying and characterising materials, interfaces and complete devices and can be adapted towards more experimental or more theoretical approaches, depending upon the interests and capability of the student.

If you have any questions, please contact Prof Henry Snaith (henry.snaith@physics.ox.ac.uk) and Clare Moloney (clare.moloney@physics.ox.ac.uk).

More information about the Snaith research group can be found at https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research/group/snaith-group

How to apply: Please refer to the following website for details on how to apply: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-condensed-matter-physics

University of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Dept of Physics

Funded PhD Studentship: (UK students only – home fees)

Deadline for applications: 28 May 2026

Start date: 1 October 2026