Optical excitations in organic and inorganic semiconductors

Semiconductor materials are the cornerstone of modern electronic and photonic technology and central to sustainable economic growth. So far, the functions of semiconductors are mainly defined by chemical and physical properties of their components, and organic and inorganic semiconductors are treated as separate research areas. We want to overcome the divide in material systems and tailor the optoelectronic properties by different means.

Together with the University of Melbourne and Monash University, the University of Bayreuth has established an International Research Training Group in the field of semiconductor research. The graduate school started in spring 2023 and is funded by the German Science Foundation DFG (IRTG 2818/project number 464648486).

Our Focus
How can we tailor the optoelectronic properties of semiconductors, notably the nature of their photoexcitations, by employing external stimuli such as adjusting the local environment or using local fields?
Double degree
A central element in our program is the extended research stay abroad. You spend 6 to 12 months at the partner institutions and obtain a double degree, i.e., a PhD from both universities.
Open PhD Projects
Have a look at the PhD research topics on offer in the areas of experimental and theoretical physics, synthetic, physical and computational chemistry, electrical engineering, and related areas.

Talks & Tutorials

Dr. Swarit Dwivedi

Monash University, Australia

Talk 11th Nov, 2025
Chemistry, Complexity, and Computation: Modelling Reactivity in Energy Materials


PDF: Discover more

Prof. Felix Deschler

University of Heidelberg, Germany

Talk 31st Oct 2025:
Chirality in Hybrid and Organic Semiconductors: Discovering Novel Material Properties and Mechanisms


PDF: Discover more

News

Dr. Meike Kuhn: Graduating our third OPTEXC PhD!
17. November 2025 | News

Dr. Meike Kuhn: Graduating our third OPTEXC PhD! The festive season is upon us (almost)! We are delighted to see Meike Kuhn graduate as our third OPTEXC joint PhD student with Chris McNeill from Monash University and Eva M. Herzig from Universität Bayreuth as her supervisors! It has been a joy to have her as […]

IRTG Annual Meeting Gößweinstein 2025
31. Oktober 2025 | News

IRTG Annual Meeting Gößweinstein 2025 From October 28 to October 30, 2025, the OPTEXC hybrid fall meeting took place in the picturesque landscape of Gößweinstein in Franconian Switzerland. The IRTG PIs, Early Career Researchers, and management team from the University of Bayreuth came together for three days of presentations, training, mentoring, and networking, all centered […]

Summertime networking at OPTEXC headquarters
24. Juli 2025 | News

Summertime networking at OPTEXC headquarters: On July 23 and 24, 2025, we had the pleasure of hosting Prof. Smith for project and supervision meetings with our joint PhD students and alumni. It was great to catch up with him and discuss running programmes as well as future collaboration opportunities. After lab tours and research workshops […]