PhD positions in optoelectronic 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 unprecedented optoelectronic properties by the

International German-Australian Research Training Group:

Optical excitations in organic and inorganic semiconductors (OPTEXC) –

Understanding and control through external stimuli

The University of Bayreuth (Germany), the University of Melbourne (Australia) and Monash University (Australia) together have constituted an interdisciplinary International Research Training Group in the areas of experimental and theoretical physics, synthetic, physical and computational chemistry, electrical engineering, material sciences and related areas.

We are looking for highly talented, passionate graduate students (m/f/d) with excellent track records interested in pushing forward our understanding of nature and its application in technology. The project builds on our established, supportive scientific network and includes research stays at a German and an Australian partner, leading to Joint PhDs with degrees from two universities. The topic areas are

  • Controlling decoherence in the singlet fission process.
  • Exciton delocalization and dissociation
    in non-entangled conjugated bottlebrushes and polyelectrolytes.
  • Control exciton delocalization by shear-induced alignment.
  • Controlling anisotropy in lead-free perovskite analogues
    by pressure treatments for efficient sustainable solar cells.
  • Photo-switchable quantum dot–dye arrays for exciton logic gates.
  • Nearfield-control of excited state dynamics.
  • Unravelling Light-Matter Interactions
    in nano- and micro-patterned perovskite films and devices.

Information on how to apply can be found here.

The positions are fully funded for minimum of three years:
TV-L E13 75% (joint PhD with 2 years in Bayreuth, 1 year in Melbourne) or
equivalent PhD stipend (2 years in Melbourne, 1 year in Bayreuth).

Current Offer:

Accelerating Organic Semiconductor Discovery with Generative AI, Molecular Dynamics and DFT

This PhD project will explore how generative AI, molecular dynamics, and density functional theory (DFT) can be combined to accelerate the discovery and design of next-generation organic semiconductor materials with tailored optoelectronic properties. The project offers the opportunity to contribute to an emerging area of interdisciplinary research that brings together artificial intelligence and advanced materials modelling to address key challenges in semiconductor discovery.

As part of the IRTG OPTEXC program, you will work at the intersection of generative AI, computational chemistry, molecular simulation and materials science, developing computational approaches to explore and predict new semiconductor materials and their properties.

This Joint PhD project will be primarily based at Monash University with a minimum 12-month stay at the University of Bayreuth.

Information on how to apply can be found here.