PhD Position (f/m/x) - Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

PhD Position (f/m/x)

Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Humboldt Centre for Nano- and Biophotonics | Gather Lab
 

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are a popular class of semiconductor devices that have made their way into everyday technologies such as smartphone and television screens, miniaturised devices for biomedical research, and to other specialised applications. However, our current understanding of the key factors that affect their performance is limited by the fact that most of the characterisation techniques used in the field obtain average properties of what in reality is an

ensemble of molecules.

The aim of this project is to study the influence of molecular disorder on the light emission properties of individual molecules doped into state-of-the-art materials used in OLEDs. The project will apply single-molecule microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to obtain information about the degree of order of OLED materials at the nanoscale in thin films, as well as how such order/disorder impacts the orientation and photoluminescence of emitter molecules. It will involve state-of-the-art OLED fabrication and photophysical characterisation techniques, including a strong focus on single-molecule microscopy and spectroscopy studies of organic light-emitting molecules, as well as close collaboration with theoreticians from internationally renowned research groups.

We are looking for a suitable candidate to carry out this exciting and challenging project, which will bring unprecedented information about structure-property relationships in this popular class of organic semiconductor devices.

YOUR TASKS

• Fabrication of solution-processed and thermally evaporated samples for single-molecule microscopy and spectroscopy
• Construction and optimization of single-molecule microscopy setups
• Development of image- and signal-processing software for single-molecule microscopy and spectroscopy data
• Analysis of single-molecule microscopy data in collaboration with theorists from other institutions