The photovoltaic (PV) industry has grown at an extraordinary pace for many years, and it is now the fastest growing industry of its size with an annual growth rate of ~30 % per year. The world added more new capacity of PV than any other energy source in 2017, with new installations far exceeding new fossil power capacity. By the end of 2018 nearly 500 GWpeak of solar had been installed globally, corresponding to about 3% of the world’s electricity demand. The majority of solar modules (~90%) are made using thin slices of silicon crystals called wafers. 

With the introduction of increasingly advanced high efficiency solar cell architectures the silicon material quality (measured by the charge carrier lifetime) is increasingly important for cell performance. Understanding of defects and impurities in the silicon material is therefore vital to improve the performance of modern solar cells.

We are looking for a PhD candidate or a PostDoc to work on improving and building a fundamental understanding of the material quality of silicon for solar cells and to relate this to the field performance of solar modules. The work may vary, spanning from experiments and characterization in the lab to gathering of production data and analysis thereof, depending of the interests and experience of the applicant. The candidate will work in an experienced team with a well-established international network and strong collaboration with Norwegian industry, both material producers and solar power plant operators. At the Department of Solar Energy at IFE we can offer modern lab facilities with the only pilot line for manufacturing solar cells in Norway as well as material testing throughout the process. In addition, state-of-the-art characterization tools for both cell performance and material properties are available.

The Department for Battery Technology at IFE is currently seeing an increase in the activity within research and development of battery technology systems. We collaborate closely with Norwegian and foreign industry partners as well as with internationally recognized research organizations.

IFE is an independent research foundation based in Norway at Kjeller and in Halden. We are in the forefront internationally in several fields within digital technologies, material and process technology, flow and analysis technologies, radiopharmaceutical technology and nuclear technology. There is an increased focus on renewable energy, and battery technology is a key enabler to utilize sustainable energy sources.

The battery market is growing fast and has new needs for electrification and large-scale energy storage. Your scientific contributions will investigate the life time, degradation and safety of batteries and battery systems. The research activity will also expand to new applications and business cases of battery systems such as 2nd life use of batteries and recycling of battery materials. Through industrial collaboration, as well as with the broader team at IFE, you will develop an understanding for the real-world needs and opportunities related to the use of battery technology systems. We offer a two-year contract, with subsequent possibilities of permanent position at IFE.