All-Oxide Transparent Photovoltaics

We are offering a fully funded PhD position in the field of transparent photovoltaics, functional oxides, and condensed matter physics. The project will explore a new route toward transparent solar energy conversion through the design of all-oxide p-i-n heterostructures that exploit the Bulk Photovoltaic Effect rather than conventional interface-driven photovoltaic mechanisms.

Transparent photovoltaics represent an important frontier in building-integrated energy harvesting, with the long-term goal of creating window-like devices that remain transparent to visible light while also generating electricity. Conventional wide-bandgap semiconductor approaches, however, are limited by weak absorption in the visible range and by the classical Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. This PhD project aims to investigate an alternative design concept based on oxide materials with broken inversion symmetry and quantum-geometric electronic properties.

Project Description

The project will focus on the conception, growth, and study of a fully epitaxial and chemically stable oxide thin-film platform for transparent photovoltaic applications. The central idea is to design a transparent photovoltaic architecture in which light-induced charge separation emerges from intrinsic material properties rather than from standard semiconductor junction physics. In particular, the work will investigate how structural polarity in non-centrosymmetric oxides can generate real-space shift currents and enable ultrafast charge separation.

The envisioned device architecture will include two key components. First, the project will use correlated metallic oxide electrodes as the p- and n-type contact layers. These materials are expected to combine strong electrical conductivity with visible transparency by shifting the plasma frequency toward the near-infrared through electronic correlation effects. Second, the active intrinsic layer will consist of a polar transition-metal oxide absorber engineered to break inversion symmetry. The project will explore strategies based on epitaxial strain and digital sub-lattice design to induce improper ferroelectricity and maximize the visible-light bulk photovoltaic response.

More broadly, the PhD will address how electronic correlations, structural symmetry breaking, and oxide heterostructure design can be combined to create a new generation of transparent and multifunctional photovoltaic devices.

Research Environment

This PhD position offers an outstanding interdisciplinary research environment in Caen, France, connecting expertise in functional oxide thin-film synthesis, condensed matter physics, and optoelectronic device engineering. The project is designed to bridge advanced materials growth and characterization with device-oriented research, providing strong training at the interface of fundamental physics and energy-related applications.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate holding a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Physics, Materials Science, Solid-State Chemistry, or a closely related discipline. Applicants with a solid background in solid-state physics, thin-film deposition, oxide materials, or optical spectroscopy are particularly encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate should have a strong interest in interdisciplinary research and be eager to work across materials synthesis, physical characterization, and device concepts.