Project description
Plant light-matter interactions to advance organic solar cells
The fundamental physical property of matter that enables it to interact with light has long been a key scientific concept, essential for understanding phenomena such as colour and forming the foundation for life and advanced technologies. By studying this property and its governing laws, we can harness it more effectively. While plant leaves absorb visible light through light-matter interactions, it is less well known that they also rely on pigment-pigment interactions to rapidly and efficiently funnel sunlight into photosynthetic reaction centres. The ERC-funded CONTROL project will leverage this mechanism to advance organic solar cells, significantly enhancing their light-to-electricity conversion. The project will focus on researching and developing specialised molecules to strengthen light-matter interactions.
Objective
A fundamental physical property of A fundamental physical property of matter is its ability to interact with light. This is not only the basis of fascinating concepts like seeing colours, but also the foundation of life and advanced technologies. Yet, some basic physical laws hamper possible utilisations. It is therefore of great importance to examine how to bend these laws, how to bypass them and by so doing open up new opportunities for novel applications. This is exactly what this project aims to do.
Plant leaves are green because they absorb visible light. However, it is less known that this light-matter interaction can be enhanced to the point where it is so strong that the photon and molecule cannot be regarded as separate entities, but as a combined system with unique properties. Nature uses strong pigment-pigment interactions to rapidly funnel absorbed sunlight to the photosynthetic reaction centre. However, up to now, organic solar cells do not take advantage of such quantum processes to enhance light to electricity conversion.
In CONTROL, I will use a chemical viewpoint to develop unique molecules optimised for strong light-matter interactions, and with these examine excited state processes of strongly coupled systems. My aim is to funnel excitation energy to charge transfer states in an organic heterojunction using the delocalised nature of hybrid light-matter states. This interaction enables transport of excitation energy over distances much longer than have been previously considered feasible. Using time-resolved optical spectroscopy and photoconductivity, I will systematically analyse the interaction between delocalised hybrid states and localised charge transfer states, allowing design criteria to be formulated. The outcome of this research program will be the description and mechanistic revelation of a novel quantum physical phenomenon that can enable development of organic solar cells from simple layered structures with unprecedented efficiencies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology materials engineering colors
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
405 30 Goeteborg
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.