Objective The exploitation of renewable sources of energy is one of the biggest challenges of our time, with wide ranging implications in both Science and Society. The new generation of dye-sensitized solar cells and hybrid polymer-inorganic solar cells represents one of the most exciting developments in this field. These promising devices based on photoactive nanomaterials can be produced at low cost, but they have an overall power conversion efficiency of 10-12%, attributed to short charge carrier recombination times and diffusion lengths. If we hope to improve this performance we must learn how the solar cells behave at the nanoscale, under realistic working conditions.To achieve this I propose to study photovoltaic materials in the transmission electron microscope, under photon irradiation. The three main areas to pursue are: a) In situ illumination technique development, b) Study of physical properties of solar cells, c) Theoretical interpretation of the spectroscopy results. The work plan of this ERC project will follow different strands in parallel, so that we can explore this novel field more efficiently.Our in situ illumination technique will be exported to a new monochromated and aberration corrected transmission electron microscope with very high spatial and energy resolution. The ultimate challenge is to provide maps of the electronic properties and photovoltaic behaviour of a solar cell, in particular to evaluate –on the atomic level- the effect of grain boundaries and surfaces on the performance of the device.We will study both dye-sensitized and bulk heterojunction solar cells, starting from the individual nanostructured components, with the aim of producing working cross-section devices to be mounted and operated inside the electron microscope. Efficient data processing and theoretical interpretation of the microscopy results will be essential to the success of this process, so we will build capabilities in these areas to support and guide the experimental work.The team I want to lead in this scientific mission is ideally composed of a postdoctoral research assistant and two PhD students. The postdoc will take care of technique development and theoretical aspects, while the students will concentrate on the study of materials and devices. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopynatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencedata processingengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyphotovoltaicnatural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotonsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-PE4 - ERC Starting Grant - Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences Call for proposal ERC-2010-StG_20091028 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Host institution THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE EU contribution € 1 381 541,00 Address TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS CB2 1TN Cambridge United Kingdom See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Renata Schaeffer (Ms.) Principal investigator Caterina Ducati (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom EU contribution € 1 381 541,00 Address TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS CB2 1TN Cambridge See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Renata Schaeffer (Ms.) Principal investigator Caterina Ducati (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data